New highway laws to take effect during holiday weekend
Updated: Aug. 28, 2019 at 3:40 PM CDT
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Two highway safety laws passed during the Alabama legislative session will go into effect Sunday, during the Labor Day holiday weekend.
“With so many people heading to football games or to the beach or lake during the holiday weekend, it’s even more important to focus on driving safely,” said Allison Green, Drive Safe Alabama Coordinator with the Alabama Department of Transportation. “Buckle up every seat, every trip. A seat belt is your best defense on the road.”
The new laws are:
- Everyone, buckle up. All passengers in a vehicle must wear a seat belt. Before, adults in the rear seat were not required to wear a seat belt. The Alabama Legislature changed the law to include those riding in rear seats. According to ALDOT, 60 percent of people who die in Alabama vehicle crashes are not wearing a seat belt.
- Keep right, except to pass. Drivers on Alabama interstates must travel in the right lane. Drivers are no longer allowed to be in the left lane for more than 1.5 miles unless the driver is passing another vehicle. Exceptions exist for road hazards, traffic congestion and moving over for emergency response vehicles.
ALDOT said it will not have temporary lane closures on Alabama interstates after noon on Friday through midnight on Monday.
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