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Two New Alabama Traffic Laws in Effect Nov. 1: Trial Period Ends, Tickets Will Be Issued
Starting Nov. 1, law enforcement in Alabama will start ticketing drivers for violating two new traffic laws.
The laws – one requiring back-seat passengers to wear seat belts and the other prohibiting drivers from riding in the left lane for too long– went into effect. Sept. 1. Each of the laws, however, had a 60-day trial period, meaning officers weren’t ticketing offenders during that time.
That changes at the start of next month.
Alabama’s new seat belt law requires everyone in a vehicle to buckle up. In the past, seat belts were only required for those in the front seat and minors in the backseat. Failure for a back seat passenger to wear a seat belt is a secondary violation, meaning a ticket could only be written if the vehicle is stopped for another reason, such as speeding.
If the unbuckled passenger is a licensed driver, they will get the ticket. If not, the driver will be issued the citation.
The Anti-Road Rage law prohibits vehicle from staying in the leftmost lane of the interstate for more than a mile and a half without passing another vehicle. There are exceptions in cases of heavy traffic congestion, inclement weather, road obstructions or if a driver is preparing to take an exit from the left lane. There are also exceptions for emergency vehicles.