Drivers who hold up traffic by lingering in the left lane on Louisiana’s multilane highways could face a stiffer fine under legislation approved by a Senate panel May 6.

SB765, sponsored by Sen. Robert Adley, D-Benton, has been forwarded to the full Senate for consideration.

According to The New Orleans Times-Picayune, Adley told the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works he wants to make sure the left lane is used for passing.

“I do want to stop the ‘rolling roadblocks’,” he said.

The bill specifies one vehicle passing another on a multilane highway should stay in the left lane until the distance between it the vehicle being passed exceeds five car lengths. The passing vehicle is then required to return to the right lane.

If a passing vehicle continues at the same speed as the vehicle in the right lane, “such action shall be considered a rolling roadblock.”

Those who lag in the left lane could be fined as much as $175, get up to 30 days in jail, or both if they are blocking the normal flow of traffic. Subsequent violations could result in a fine up to $500, as much as 90 days in jail, or both.

The panel amended the bill to apply specifically to roads outside of municipalities where the posted speed is at least 55 mph.