Should a learner driver occupy the right lane on a multi laned road?

It’s not uncommon for drivers to confuse the road rules with urban myths. One of the most commonly misunderstood rules is the one concerning keeping to the left, particularly on a multi-laned road. This subject often features in discussions when road rule experts guest on the radio or in other medium. It is often raised by learners and their parents during driving lessons and often by drivers with many years of driving experience. The most common belief is that a driver must keep to the left, unless overtaking another vehicle or turning right, regardless of the circumstances. This explains why, from my observations on multi-laned roads, many drivers wanting to turn right will leave their lane selection until the last moment and then make a dangerous and inconsiderate lane change into an almost impossibly small gap.

The misunderstanding of the rules is not helped by the common use of the terms “slow lane” and “fast lane”, giving the impression that a driver may lawfully exceed the speed limit if in the fast or right lane.The implication for a learner driver is that many drivers consider the learner has no right to occupy the right (“fast”) lane at all and must keep to the left (“slow”) lane. This explains why, when driving in the right lane, learners are subject to abuse and intimidatory behavior from the driver behind, or from the driver rushing past on the left and lane changing to the right close in front of them.

The terms “slow lane” and “fast lane” are not used in the Australian Road Rules (ARR)

ARR 129 requires a driver on a road (except a multi-laned road) to drive as near as practicable to the far left side of the road.

ARR 130 applies to a multi-laned road where the speed limit is over 80Km/h or where there is a “keep left unless overtaking” sign. In each case a driver must not drive in the right lane except:

• When overtaking
  
• When turning or about to turn right and the driver is giving a right change of direction signal
  
• When avoiding an obstruction
  
• When the other lanes are obstructed.
  

Many of our suburban main roads have a speed limit of 60Km/h which allows a driver to occupy any lane and a driver should use the lanes strategically. If you are planning a right turn, select the right lane early, especially in heavy traffic, so that you are not having to attempt a late lane change, thus squeezing between other vehicles. Provided your speed is appropriate to the conditions and certainly not exceeding the limit, you can quite legally occupy the right lane.

So, should the learner driver be in the right lane? From a driving instructor’s perspective, I will often have the learner in the right lane early if we are planning a right turn, particularly in heavy traffic, asit can be difficult for the learner to make a right lane change without incurring the wrath of other drivers.

For those drivers that do have an issue with the learner occupying the right lane and come screaming in close behind, gesticulating wildly for them to move to the left (it happens), consider these points:

• What speed were you driving at when you put us in danger of a rear end collision?
  
• What speed is the learner driving at? (it’s not hard to work out)
  
• How well do you know the road rules? That is, what makes you so sure the learner is in the wrong?
  
• What about showing a little consideration for the learner.
  

ARR 141 allows a driver on a multi-laned road to overtake another vehicle using the marked lane to the left of the vehicle provided it is safe to do so. I say this for the benefit of those drivers that sit dangerously close to the rear of the learner’s vehicle when there is a perfectly clear lane to the left should they wish to overtake. Again I would ask, what speed is the learner driving at? It is not uncommon for the learner to be proceeding at the speed limit in these situations, thus requiring the other driver to exceed the limit considerably to not only come in close behind but to then overtake.

Is it time for you to learn to drive lessons? Take advantage of our experience meet our driving instructor Adelaide call our school on (08) 8271 8400 to book an appointment today.

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