Which lane on the freeway is the safest?

My sister and I were wondering if there are any statistics about this. It seems like there are pros and cons to all the lanes.

So what do you guys think?

Assuming that there is a shoulder on both sides of the freeway....

And assuming that you are traveling at a speed that is going with the flow of traffic...

My husband, who has been a motorcycle safety instructer under the MSF & CMSP programs for the past 12 years, feels that it is the far left lane (the fast lane). This is based on process of elimination.

Right lane has too many people entering and exiting the freeway..also that is usually where the big rigs drive.

Middle lanes you have to watch out from people coming at you from both sides.

Left lane, as long as there is a shoulder, you pretty much always have an "escape route" if something were to happen.

Now, whether or not there are statistics..that I don't know.

I recall the middle lane being referred to as "the lane of least resistance" in drivers ed, as both the far right and far left lanes have people exiting and entering...but like the previous poster said, you do have to worry about what's going on on both sides of you.

(but around here, it would be the middle two lanes...which complicates things even further)

Now I am curious to see if there is real data about this

I was told by the guy who taught my advanced driving course that the safest lane is the middle lane. Makes sense to me.

great. now everyone is going to stay in the lane that they think is safest, rather than the one they should be in for the speed they are going, i.e., slower traffic keep right, left lane passing only. some states don't have this rule, but most do, as does the rest of the world. no instructor should tell someone what lane is statistically safest, because every lane serves a specific purpose, and you should be in the appropriate late for what you are doing. that makes driving safer for EVERYONE. i can't count how many times i've seen near-accidents by idiots who were either hogging the fast lane or passing on the right.

southpawboston said:

every lane serves a specific purpose, and you should be in the appropriate late for what you are doing. that makes driving safer for EVERYONE.

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Exactly :thumbsup: Hmmm ... reading the DMV booklet is also a good idea

papooses said:

reading the DMV booklet is also a good idea

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what a great idea!! :thumbsup:

[in case some people are wondering what DMV stands for, in NYS, DMV = dept of motor vehicles. some states refer to it differently, eg, RMV in MA]

To clarify, he said the middle lane was the safest lane for TRAVELING

In other words, if you're planning to get off at the next exit, or going 45 on the highway, you should be in the right lane, and if you're planning to pass, you should use the left lane. But if you're just driving, at the speed of traffic, middle is the safest place to be. Something about giving you more options if you need to move suddenly.

Gotcha

I read the DMV manual for this state recently and it is technically illegal to just drive in the left-most lane. It is supposed to be for passing only. Tell that to all the drivers in this state, though .....

And I'm not saying I'm going to just stick to one lane because I think it is safer. I was just curious if there were any statistics about it. That's all.

The safest lane is the lane furthest away from the person trying to hit you.

Ok, I'm a bit loopy from too much time with extended family the past two days.

ThreeBeans said:

I was told by the guy who taught my advanced driving course that the safest lane is the middle lane. Makes sense to me.

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I don't like the middle lane because I have to constantly worry about someone shifting lanes in front or back of me from either side. Behind me is important because I might need to slow down or even change lanes myself. It's much more hectic than put putting along in the slow lane or remaining with traffic moving slightly faster in the left lane where traffic can only affect you from ahead and to one side.

It's really fun, NOT!, in 6 lane highways (or is it 12 when there's 6 lanes each direction?) to keep track of everyone's position. I enjoy the challenge a little, but it does not make for relaxing driving.

There's also the 'Swoopers' (which, I've also done a time or two)... for whatever reason, by choice or inability, haven't been able to change lanes, but need to speedily cross 2 lanes to get an exit or into the slow lane.

To me, the safest in theory, would be the 'fast' lane. Everyone who merges is nearly up to speed with the actual traffic. There shouldn't be anyone broken down on the left side due to laws & actual real danger to a pedestrian, and there's only one side to worry about.

Right lane is probably the most dangerous with traffic at the slower speeds, changing lanes to get off or on the highway, broken down traffic on the shoulder, and the road damage from all those trucks & cars using those lanes more than the left sides.

I don't know if driver's ed refers to on & off ramp regions, as "Gore Areas" anymore. Might scare teens a little more than parents want them But back in the day, those were some of the deadliest parts of the Interstate & hwys around me. So much going on for drivers' to remain alert. And that was BEFORE cell phones & DVD players

I only know the answer to which lane is the LEAST safe according to driver's ed
Which I took oooh about 10 years ago now (lol)

That's the right lane because of merging traffic, there's people getting on and off in that lane.

In the city I live in most our streets or highways have 3 lanes. Unfortunatley there are morons in every lane. The right lane, supossed to be used for exiting and entering, is actually being used by the guy speeding on his way to his court ordered anger managment class, because my Mom is going 100km/h in the left lane because it is the "maximum speed limit, I am not doing anything wrong." And there is someone in the middle lane pacing my mom in her blind spot. I think the safest place is in my garage. That being said, I love driving, and I have never avoided a freeway despite the stupid people who got their driver's licences out of the back of someone's trunk.

And to think the freeway is still safer (statistically speaking) than city streets crash-wise.