BATON ROUGE — A new law that increases the penalties for drivers who linger in the left lane on highways took effect Friday.

The new law increases fines for those traveling below the speed limit in the left lane to $150 on first offense, with increases by $100 for each subsequent offense. A 30-day jail sentence can also be levied. 

The new law lowers the threshold from 10 mph to just 1 mph below the speed limit.

Currently, drivers traveling 10 miles per hour or more below the speed limit in the left lane. 

"We’re not out there specifically targeting someone just because they’re going a mile under the speed limit," Louisiana State Police spokesperson Shelby Mayfield told 2une In's Abigail Whitam. "But what this updated law does is give us the ability to take action when that kind of driving starts causing safety issues, like disrupting the flow of traffic or creating a risk for other drivers. It’s really about keeping the roads safer for everyone."