AN ACT establishing the rules of the road with respect to merging at defined merging areas and requiring drivers education on the zipper merge.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑155 reads as rewritten:

§ 20‑155.  Right‑of‑way.

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(e)        Where two lanes of traffic merge into one, drivers shall utilize both lanes until reaching the merging area, and, beginning with the driver in the right lane, alternate yielding the right‑of‑way until there is no longer a queue at the merging area.

SECTION 2.(a)  G.S. 20‑88.1 reads as rewritten:

§ 20‑88.1.  Driver education.

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(d)       The Division shall prepare a driver license handbook that explains the traffic laws of the State State, including a description of the zipper merge, as defined in G.S. 115C‑215, and shall periodically revise the handbook to reflect changes in these laws. The Division, in consultation with the State Highway Patrol, the North Carolina Sheriff's Association, and the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, shall include in the driver license handbook a description of law enforcement procedures during traffic stops and the actions that a motorist should take during a traffic stop, including appropriate interactions with law enforcement officers. At the request of the Department of Public Instruction, the Division shall provide free copies of the handbook to that Department for use in the program of driver education offered at public high schools.

SECTION 2.(b)  G.S. 115C‑215 reads as rewritten:

§ 115C‑215.  Administration of driver education program by the Department of Public Instruction.

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(b)        The driver education curriculum shall include the following:

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(6)        Instruction on the zipper merge. For purposes of this subdivision, zipper merge means drivers utilize both lanes of traffic where two lanes merge into one at a merging area, and, beginning with the driver in the right lane, alternate yielding the right‑of‑way until there is no longer a queue at the merging area.

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SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act becomes effective October 1, 2021, and applies to motor vehicle offenses charged on or after that date. Section 2(a) of this act becomes effective January 1, 2022. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2022‑2023 school year.