Lanes and Following Distance
23 V.S.A. § 1039 — no following more closely than is reasonable and prudent
- On a road with marked lanes, a vehicle stays as nearly as practicable within one lane and leaves it only after the driver makes sure the move is safe.
- On a three lane road with two way traffic, the center lane is only for passing when it is clear, for a left turn, or where signs give it to one direction.
- Drivers obey signs that assign lanes or bar lane changes.
- A driver may not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent for the speed, the traffic and the road.
- A driver may not approach, pass or keep pace unnecessarily close to a vulnerable user, such as a pedestrian or cyclist, and no one in a vehicle may throw anything at one.
- Outside business and residential districts, a following driver leaves room for a passing vehicle to pull in safely.
Sources for this section (2)
- 23 V.S.A. § 1038 — Driving on roadways laned for traffic
- 23 V.S.A. § 1039 — Following too closely, crowding, and harassment
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Vermont attorney.