Pennsylvania drivers ignore many rules of the road, such as keeping to the right or the prohibition on texting and driving.
Pennsylvania traffic laws are in place to protect all drivers and passengers. Yet, drivers across the Commonwealth often fail to obey the fundamental rules of the road. These drivers make everyone less safe, whether you are a passenger, driver, or pedestrian.
In this article, you’ll find a list of the seven most commonly ignored Pennsylvania traffic laws. Read on to learn what they are and how you can stay legal when driving on Pennsylvania streets.
Learn more with the following resources:
1. Pennsylvania Slower Traffic Keep Right Law: The “Move Over” Rule
If your vehicle is moving slower than the rest of traffic, in Pennsylvania you legally must move to the right. On highways, you need to use the furthest right-hand lane available. On one-lane roads, you should drive as close to the right curb as possible.
The following are exceptions to Pennsylvania’s move-over rule: when you need to pass; when preparing to make a left turn; and when you need to keep on your travel route.
Any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane then available for traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into an alley, private road or driveway.
This does not apply to a driver who must necessarily drive in a lane other than the right-hand lane to continue on his intended route.
2. Pennsylvania Flow of Traffic Law: The “Minimum Speed” Rule
There is no statewide minimum speed in Pennsylvania. But drivers must move quickly enough to not block normal traffic flow. If you are driving on a road with a posted minimum speed, you cannot dip below that rate unless you must for safety or to comply with the law.
When you are on a two-lane road, and your slow speed impedes traffic behind you, you are legally required to pull off the road and let traffic pass.
Except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law, no person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.
Except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law, whenever any person drives a vehicle upon a roadway having not more than one lane of traffic in each direction at less than the maximum posted speed and at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the driver shall drive completely off the roadway and onto the berm or shoulder of the highway.
The driver may return to the roadway after giving appropriate signal only when the movement can be made in safety and so as not to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.
At any other time when the department or local authorities under their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any highway or part of a highway impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the department or such local authority may determine and declare a minimum speed limit below which no person shall drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.
3. Pennsylvania Driving in Left Lane Law: The “Passing on the Left” Rule
When you go to pass on Pennsylvania streets, you must do so on the left. Before moving back to the right, you must completely overtake the other vehicle and cannot cut them off.
To pass another car on a two-lane road, you need to wait until traffic headed in the opposite direction is clear. You must complete any pass that requires you to enter oncoming lanes before you come within 200 feet of a vehicle traveling the opposite way.
If you are the vehicle being passed, you should allow the passing vehicle room to overtake you once they signal. You also cannot speed up while another vehicle is passing you.
The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of the other vehicle at a safe distance and shall stay to the left of the other vehicle until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle.
Except when overtaking and passing on the right is permitted, the driver of an overtaken vehicle shall not increase the speed of the vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle and shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle on suitable signal.
No vehicle shall be driven to the left side of the center or marked center line of the roadway in overtaking and passing another vehicle unless the left side is clearly visible and is free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit the overtaking and passing to be completely made without interfering with the operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction or any vehicle overtaken.
In every event the overtaking vehicle must return to an authorized lane of travel as soon as practicable and, in the event the passing movement involves the use of a lane authorized for vehicles approaching from the opposite direction, before coming within 200 feet of any approaching vehicle.
4. Pennsylvania Rear-End Collision Law: The “Following Too Closely” Rule
“Tailgating” is when a driver illegally follows the car in front of them too closely. In Pennsylvania, you are following too closely if you do not leave a “reasonable and prudent” space. A reasonable distance will change based on weather and traffic conditions, plus the speeds of the two vehicles.
The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of the vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.
5. Pennsylvania Mobile Phone Driving Law: The “Hands-Free Driving” Rule
While driving, typing or reading text messages, emails, or social media posts is illegal. However, Pennsylvania does allow you to key in a number or look up a contact to make a phone call.
No driver shall operate a motor vehicle on a highway or trafficway while using an interactive wireless communications device to send, read or write a text-based communication while the vehicle is in motion.
A person does not send, read or write a text-based communication when the person reads, selects or enters a telephone number or name in an interactive wireless communications device for the purpose of activating or deactivating a voice communication or a telephone call.
6. Pennsylvania Four-Way Intersection Law: The “4-Way Stop” Rule
When two vehicles reach a Pennsylvania intersection at the same time, the driver to the right gets to go first. The driver to the left must yield and allow the other vehicle to proceed first.
When two vehicles approach or enter an intersection from different highways at approximately the same time, the driver of the vehicle on the left shall yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right.
7. Pennsylvania Left Turn Intersection Law: The “Right of Way” Rule
Cutting across lanes of traffic to make a left turn can be dangerous. For this reason, Pennsylvania law requires you to wait and allow oncoming traffic to clear before you make the left. You must yield until you can complete the turn without creating a safety hazard.
The driver of a vehicle intending to turn left within an intersection or into an alley, private road or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is so close as to constitute a hazard.
Being a safe and conscientious driver means you need to follow the rules of the road. Not only will you avoid getting any tickets, but you can decrease the chances of getting in an accident. So, try and remember these seven commonly ignored traffic laws the next time you’re driving in Pennsylvania.