Okla. Stat. » Title 47 — MOTOR VEHICLES
Oklahoma Statutes

Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 11-301 (2026)

Drive on right side of roadway - Exceptions

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A. Upon all roadways of sufficient width a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway, except as follows: 1. When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the laws governing such movement; 2. When an obstruction exists making it necessary to drive to the left of the center of the highway; provided, any person so doing shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the proper direction upon the unobstructed portion of the highway within such distance as to constitute an immediate hazard; 3. Upon a roadway divided into three marked lanes for traffic under the laws applicable thereon; 4. Upon a roadway restricted to one-way traffic; or 5. Upon a roadway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic. B. Upon all roadways any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane when available for traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway and may be temporarily driven upon the right-hand shoulder for the purpose of permitting other vehicles to

pass. This subsection shall not apply when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. C. Upon any roadway having four or more lanes for moving traffic and providing for two-way movement of traffic, no vehicle shall be driven to the left of the center line of the roadway, except when authorized by official traffic control devices designating certain lanes to the left side of the center of the roadway for use by traffic not otherwise permitted to use such lanes, or except as permitted under paragraph 2 of subsection (a) of this section. However, this subsection shall not be construed as prohibiting the crossing of the center line in making a left turn into or from an alley, private road or driveway. Added by Laws 1961, p. 376, § 11-301, eff. Sept. 1, 1961. Amended by Laws 1977, c. 21, § 4, emerg. eff. April 15, 1977; Laws 1978, c. 129, § 1; Laws 1996, c. 22, § 1, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 2002, c. 397, § 20, eff. Nov. 1, 2002.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1964–2009 · leading case: Whittenburg v. Werner Enter. Inc., 561 F.3d 1122 (10th Cir. 2009).
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Whittenburg v. Werner Enter. Inc., 561 F.3d 1122 (10th Cir. 2009). “Two of the statutes, Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 11-301 (A) & § 11-309(1), aim to ensure drivers remain within a single lane, and in particular the right lane unless passing or overtaking other vehicles, and do not deviate from that lane until ascertaining that they can do so safely.”
M. K. & O. Airline Transit Co. v. Deckard ex rel. Deckard, 397 P.2d 883 (Okla. 1964). “The jury was instructed that Klobas’ driving to the left of the centerline of the roadway in violation of 47 O.S.1961, § 11-301 et seq. (which statutes with stated exceptions require a vehicle to be operated to the right of the center of the road) created a prima facie inference…”
Maples v. Bryce, 434 P.2d 214 (Okla. 1967). “, Trial, 47 O.S.1961, § 11-301. As to defendant’s Proposition No.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.