House Bill No. 418

Introduced By _______________________________________________________________________________



A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act generally revising the slow-moving vehicle laws; applying the slow-moving vehicle laws on all highways; requiring the department of transportation to post notices regarding the regulation of slow-moving vehicles; requiring the department of transportation to construct turnouts for slow-moving vehicles; requiring the department of transportation or a local authority to set a minimum speed limit under certain conditions; and amending section

61-8-311, MCA."



Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:



Section 1.  Section 61-8-311, MCA, is amended to read:

"61-8-311.   Minimum speed regulations. (1) A person may not drive a motor vehicle at a speed slow enough to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.

(2)  On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow-moving vehicle, including a passenger vehicle, behind which four or more vehicles are formed in line shall must turn off the roadway at the nearest place designated as a turnout by signs erected by the authority having jurisdiction over the highway or wherever sufficient area for a safe turnout exists in order to permit the vehicles following it to proceed. If the shoulder of the highway to the right of the overtaken vehicle is wide enough and is in a condition allowing safe travel, the driver of the overtaken vehicle may drive onto the shoulder and proceed at a safe speed until passed. As used in this section, a slow-moving vehicle is one which that is proceeding at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place. The department of transportation is authorized to designate and shall construct such turnouts and to erect signs at appropriate places advising motorists of this statute.

(3)  If the department of transportation or local authorities within their respective jurisdictions determine on the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that slow speeds on any part of a highway consistently impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, the commission or the local authority may shall set a minimum speed limit below which a person may not drive a vehicle except when necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law."

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