Mississippi law prohibits drivers from using the shoulder to pass other vehicles and allows passing on the right only in limited circumstances, according to state code and a Traffic Tip Thursday post on Facebook.
Section 63-3-613 says a driver may overtake and pass on the right when the vehicle ahead is making or about to make a left turn. The statute also permits passing on the right on a roadway with unobstructed pavement wide enough for four or more lanes of moving traffic when the movement can be made safely, and it notes the left lane is the preferred passing lane.
The law explicitly forbids driving off the pavement or onto the shoulder to overtake or pass on the right. The Facebook post said shoulders are intended for emergencies, breakdowns and authorized vehicles, not as a shortcut for late or impatient drivers, and warned that other motorists do not expect traffic on the shoulder, which increases the risk of crashes.
The post listed signs a driver is using the shoulder improperly — grass, gravel or a cloud of dust — and used the hashtag #DriveSmart to urge safer behavior. Officials did not provide further enforcement details in the post.
