Ever find yourself behind an RV on a two-lane mountain road?
Watching its speed limit seem like a distant memory. In Montana, that feeling is recognized. By law.
If you check your rearview mirror and see four cars—or more—stacked behind you, you’re legally supposed to move over. It sounds simple enough. It’s not new legislation, either.
The rule dates back to 1959. Buried in Montana Code Annotated section 61-8-1311 (often cited as 61-8-301 or similar in older discussions, though the current text is specific). Yet, according to the Montana Highway Patrol most drivers still don’t know it’s on the books.
“I understand that people are probably not super unfamiliar with this rule.”
That was Sergeant Philip Smart speaking to NBC Montana recently. His point stands: ignorance doesn’t make it disappear.
How Many Cars Need To Pass In Montana
Here’s the specific threshold. Four.
If you are driving slower than the normal flow of traffic on a two-lane highway. If passing isn’t safe or practical for the people behind you. And if that queue grows to four or more vehicles.
State law says pull over.
This doesn’t mean abandoning your car. It means using the nearest safe turnout. Or a suitable shoulder. Only if conditions allow it. The legislation stresses safety above speed.
So if you’re plodding along at 50 mph in a 70 mph zone and cars are backing up for a quarter mile, wait for the next gravel patch or widened curve. Then scoot aside. Let the frustrated drivers blast past you.
It’s designed to keep traffic moving. And to save tempers.
Why Slow Drivers Should Yield
Why does this rule exist?
Impatience.
A single slow car causes mild annoyance. Four slow cars cause rage. And rage causes accidents.
On winding rural roads in Montana, trying to overtake a convoy is risky. Drivers squeeze between lanes. They miss curves. They cross into oncoming traffic blindly. The law aims to prevent those impulsive, dangerous passes.
The logic holds water. Longer lines lead to reckless decisions. Shortening the line prevents the crash.
Is There A Ticket For This Montana Law
Will you get cited? Probably not.
Most encounters with officers are educational. Sergeant Smart noted that the Patrol tends to explain the law rather than punish violators immediately. It’s about awareness, not revenue generation.
That said. It is a traffic citation offense if deemed unsafe or negligent. But usually?
A conversation in your driveway or by the side of the road. They’ll tell you the rules next time you see an RV inching uphill.
You can wait in silence. Or you can yield. Your call, but the mirror tells you what’s happening. Four cars means go ahead. Move.
