Bill would let drivers passing on 2-lane road go 15 mph over the speed limit

What if you’re on a two-lane road, and you want to pass another motorist who’s going a couple of miles below the speed limit, but just to get past them safely, you need to exceed the speed limit? Rep. Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, has an answer for that. “This bill deals with something we’ve all experienced,” he told the House Transportation Committee this afternoon. “Current law says you cannot exceed the speed limit to make a pass, so you could spend an eternity trying to make a safe pass.”

His solution: Let folks go 15 mph above the speed limit while they’re passing, but only while they’re passing. And only on two-lane roads, not freeways, that have speed limits of 55 mph or more. And not in construction zones. “It doesn’t change where you can pass,” Clow said.

His bill does have one other little wrinkle to help out those worried about getting speeding tickets when they pass: If they go, say, 75 while passing in a 55 zone, the first 15 miles over the limit would be allowed, and they could only get a ticket for exceeding the limit by 5 mph while in the act of passing.

“I have talked to the Idaho State Police, they worked with me in designing this bill,” Clow told the committee. “They seemed to like this, because it puts some more definite quantities around what is appropriate.” Currently, he said, “There’s some discretion.”

The House committee agreed unanimously to introduce Clow’s bill, clearing the way for a full hearing.