Q: I see a lot of drivers in Lufkin turning left into the center lane to merge into traffic. I keep waiting for someone to simultaneously enter that lane to turn left and an accident to happen. I've also needed to get into the center lane to turn left, and couldn't because of a driver using it to wait to merge into traffic. Surely this can't be legal.
A: According to the 2008 Texas Drivers Handbook, the left turn lane is for just that — left turns.
"The only time a vehicle should enter the center lane is at a point where the vehicle will have time to slow down or stop in order to make a safe left turn maneuver. The center lane should never be used for passing or as a through traffic lane," the handbook states.
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