Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-115 (2026)
Driving on right side of roadway - Exceptions
✓ current as of May 2026
- (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 rules governing such movement;
- (2) When the right half of a roadway is closed to traffic while under construction or repair;
- (3) Upon a roadway divided into three (3) marked lanes for traffic under the applicable rules thereon; or
- (4) Upon a roadway designated and signposted for one-way 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 then available for traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except 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.
Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 14; T.C.A., § 59-815.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 20
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1999–2024 · leading case: State of Tennessee v. Linzey Danielle Smith, 484 S.W.3d 393 (Tenn. 2016).
State of Tennessee v. Linzey Danielle Smith, 484 S.W.3d 393 (Tenn. 2016). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 55-8-115(a) (2012). 5 . Section 123(1) wás initially passed in 1955 and has remained unchanged.”
State of Tennessee v. William Whitlow Davis, Jr., 484 S.W.3d 138 (Tenn. 2016). “§ 55-8-115(a) (2008) (“Section 115”). Additionally, our rules of the road define “roadway” as “that portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.”
State v. Hannah, 259 S.W.3d 716 (Tenn. 2008). “Additionally, the State argues in its application for permission to appeal that Officer Shaw had reasonable suspicion to stop the defendants’ Altima for violating Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-8-115(b) (2004), which provides: Upon all roadways any vehicle proceeding at…”
Ricketts v. Robinson, 169 S.W.3d 642 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 55-8-115(a). Drivers of vehicles proceeding in opposite directions shall pass each other to the right, and upon roadways having width for not more than one (1) line of traffic in each direction, each driver shall give to the other at least one-half (½) of the…”
Parks v. Daily Express, Inc., 719 F. Supp. 2d 894 (E.D. Tenn. 2010). “Thompson would have been in violation of Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 55-8-115(b) and 123(1) as discussed above.”
State of Tennessee v. Linzey Danielle Smith (Tenn. 2016). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-115 (a) (2012). 7 Tenn.”
Kim L. Higgs v. John C. Green (Tenn. Ct. App. 2017). “Moreover, where Defendant made his left turn does not match the description of a divided highway in the context of Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-125 . Therefore, Tenn.”
Rick Richards v. Traci Domalik (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001). “As can be seen, the trial court only charged the jury with respect to two statutes by their Code numbers: T.C.A. § 55-8-115 (1998) and T.C.A. § 55-8-172 (1998).”
State of Tennessee v. Freddie Ali Bell (Tenn. Crim. App. 2016). “On appeal to the supreme court, the court interpreted Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-8-115 as an offense that is committed upon a vehicle crossing the center lane line(s) of a roadway on even one occasion when none of the four delineated exceptions applies.”
State of Tennessee v. Thomas George Headla (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “See T.C.A. § 55-8-115 (2014). The Defendant argued that the sole reason for the traffic stop was the position of the Defendant‟s SUV on Grandview Drive, which could have been explained by the general presence of parked vehicles on the right side of the road.”
United States v. Francisco Herrera (6th Cir. 2018). “On July 19, 2016, Herrera was traveling eastbound on I-40 when he was pulled over by West Tennessee Drug Task Force Special Agent Shawn Crouch, ostensibly for impeding traffic in the left lane, in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-115 (a).1 1 The statute requires that vehicles…”
State of Tennessee v. Steven Larry Kilgore, Jr. (Tenn. Crim. App. 2012). “However, the court determined that Deputy Wigley had reasonable suspicion for the seizure because the officer “had reason to suspect the defendant of driving on the left side of the road in violation of [Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-8-115] and parking on the left side of…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-115(a) — 8 cases
State of Tennessee v. Linzey Danielle Smith, 484 S.W.3d 393 (Tenn. 2016). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 55-8-115(a) (2012). 5 . Section 123(1) wás initially passed in 1955 and has remained unchanged.”
State of Tennessee v. William Whitlow Davis, Jr., 484 S.W.3d 138 (Tenn. 2016). “§ 55-8-115(a) (2008) (“Section 115”). Additionally, our rules of the road define “roadway” as “that portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.”
Ricketts v. Robinson, 169 S.W.3d 642 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 55-8-115(a). Drivers of vehicles proceeding in opposite directions shall pass each other to the right, and upon roadways having width for not more than one (1) line of traffic in each direction, each driver shall give to the other at least one-half (½) of the…”
State of Tennessee v. Linzey Danielle Smith (Tenn. 2016). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-115 (a) (2012). 7 Tenn.”
State of Tennessee v. Keith Lamar March (Tenn. Crim. App. 2024).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-115(b) — 2 cases
State v. Hannah, 259 S.W.3d 716 (Tenn. 2008). “Additionally, the State argues in its application for permission to appeal that Officer Shaw had reasonable suspicion to stop the defendants’ Altima for violating Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-8-115(b) (2004), which provides: Upon all roadways any vehicle proceeding at…”
Parks v. Daily Express, Inc., 719 F. Supp. 2d 894 (E.D. Tenn. 2010). “Thompson would have been in violation of Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 55-8-115(b) and 123(1) as discussed above.”
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