by Courtney Wight '26 on March 19, 2026
Opinion - Society
Driving on the highways is a necessity for most Americans. Being from a small town means I had the luxury of avoiding highways for as long as possible. When I started driving, I thought highways were a scary place, mostly due to the other drivers on the road. Despite what some of my passengers might say, I would like to think I have upgraded my skills in recent years, unlocking the highway as an area in which I am comfortable driving. For spring break, I drove home to Albany, which is a straightforward drive, as it is basically just the Massachusetts Turnpike for 100 miles.
On my drive home, I experienced a frustration with highway driving that I have been feeling for a while now. I believe many on the road do not abide by the key concept of keeping right except to passNow, I understand driving on the highway is not a part of the driving test, and driving on the highway might not be a part of a person’s daily life. However, I think the concept of keeping right should be pretty self-explanatory and easy enough to follow for most drivers.
On my drive home, I experienced many scenarios where a fellow car was simply hanging out in the left lane. While this might not be a problem on a wider highway, the majority of the Mass Pike for my journey is only two lanes. This means that drivers looking to pass are forced to either wait and hope the person driving slowly ahead catches on and moves over, or pass the car while in the right lane
Despite never officially being taught how to drive on the highway, the one concept I remember from my training course was to not pass on the inside (the left lane), as it is considered more dangerous. However, many times on my drive, the individual in front of me in the left lane, contently driving barely 70 mph in a 65 mph zone and passing no one, left me with the option to either wait for them to notice, or to pass on the inside. Many did catch on and move over, yet there were times I felt forced to pass on the inside.
I would like to make it clear I am not advocating for people to speed on the highway, but I would argue it is generally accepted to go at least five mph over the posted speed limit. As many know, most drivers will go faster than that, usually using the left lane to pass the righteous law-abiding citizens.
I know many drivers may feel embarrassed about being passed, but it is a part of life since there will always be someone on that road going faster than you (unless you are the person going over 90 mph on the highway). I also know many might use the justification that their slow driving in the left lane is to send a message to other drivers to slow down. I would argue this reasoning is foolish, as those who want to speed will do so anyway, so the slow driving in the left lane is actively causing more danger than the speeding of other vehicles.
In many cases, my frustration was due to the congestion caused by drivers hanging out in the left lane. It created stressful situations where I was unsure if they were going to move over or if I should pass in the right lane. Additionally, in the cases where they did not move, it caused anxiety as I tried to time my quest to pass them on the inside.
Overall, my journey home taught me that many drivers cannot follow basic directions. I am not saying drivers should be constantly switching lanes. Obviously, a person can pass multiple cars at a time before tucking back into the right lane. Yet, I argue the issue stems from an underlying root problem of drivers not paying attention to their surroundings. I passed drivers blatantly utilizing their phones while driving, or cars that seemingly never noticed the car behind them was a foot off their bumper. Tailgating, as a result of slow cars hogging the left lane, is also inherently dangerous.
I am not here to preach that I am the greatest driver ever and know everything. I acknowledge that I am not the best driver. I get probably unreasonably angry at slow drivers obstructing my path in the speedy left lane. Being from a more rural area means I think any car on the road restricting my movement from lane to lane is traffic. But, in all my highway driving, I constantly remind myself to stay in the right lane unless I am actively passing another vehicle. While it might be more annoying for me, it is the best course of action to ensure I am not creating an unsafe situation where a fellow driver feels forced to pass on the inside. Drivers need to have a greater awareness on the road and actively check their surroundings to ensure the safety of all those on the highway.