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If you’ve driven on an Australian road, you’ll know that one of the most ignored rules of the road is the classic ‘keep left unless overtaking’.
- Keep left unless you are overtaking – the sign says it all!
- Pigs in the right lane can be fined
- Penalties vary between states and territories
It means what it says. If you are driving on a road with more than one lane, you must keep to the left unless you are overtaking. But there are differences in how the rule is applied and interpreted across the country.
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Generally speaking, if you’re driving on a multi-lane road with a speed limit of less than 80 km/h (think of those inner-city arterials that always seem to crawl at the speed of a crab), you can drive in any lane you want.
But if the road is a freeway, expressway or highway with a higher speed limit, it’s best not to occupy the right lane all the time, as you can face fines and points if you don’t overtake other road users.
Here’s a rundown of the rules across the country:
New South Wales
In NSW, if you’re driving on a road that has a posted speed limit above 80km/h (so in 90km/h zones or roads with speed limits higher than that) you must keep to the left unless you are not ahead of anyone.
This is the general rule, but there are some exceptions:
The NSW Road Rules state: “You must not drive in the right lane unless you are overtaking, turning right, U-turning, turning left and there is a ‘Left lane must turn left’ sign or a traffic light with a left arrow, avoiding an obstacle , driving in stopped traffic or moving slowly in the left lane, driving a bus or truck and the right lane is only for buses or trucks, overtaking a slow vehicle making a left turn.’
Situations where you should overtake using the left lane include when the vehicle you are overtaking: “is waiting to turn right or make a U-turn from the center of the road; stopped; traffic on a multi-lane road’.
In some cases you are allowed to use the left lane if there is stopped traffic in the right lane and you are allowed to: cross the outer end lines (for a maximum of 100m), drive in a bus lane, transit lane or truck lane (for a maximum 100 m), or ride on a cycle lane or tram lane (for a maximum of 50 m).
If you are caught doing the wrong thing, the fine is $349 and two demerit points.
Queensland
In QLD the rules are clear. “On single-lane roads, you should stand as close to the left side of the road as possible.”
But if the road has multiple lanes and if the speed limit is 90km/h or more, or if the carriageway has signs saying ‘Keep left unless overtaking’, then you must not use the right lane unless: you are overtaking ; turning right; making a U-turn; obstacle avoidance; driving in heavy traffic; or using a dedicated lane where you are allowed to be.
And in news that will upset anyone who believes in proper lane etiquette (here’s looking at you, Germany), it’s legal for drivers to “overtake on the left on all multi-lane roads.”
You can still be fined for keeping in the right lane if you don’t do any of the above. The penalty is a $123 fine and two demerit points.
Victoria
The rules for Victoria state that drivers on “any multi-lane road with a speed limit above 80km/h … must avoid the right-hand lane”.
But as with other states, there are some exceptions, such as if you’re overtaking or turning right or all lanes are congested. Additionally, “if the right lane is a transit lane, this rule applies to the lane immediately to the left of the transit lane.”
Note, however, the wording of the rule. If you’re reading between the lines (or should that be bars?), this basically means that the far right lane is off-limits unless overtaking.
If you’re on one of the six-lane highways, the rule means you can use lanes one through five however you like.
If you get caught being disobedient, you can get two demerits and a several hundred dollar fine.
South Australia
SA Police prefers you stick to the “far left side of the road” in multi-lane situations to avoid a $355 fine and two demerits.
One thing that is different in SA is that roads with a speed limit of 80km/h or more do not have to have ‘keep left’ signs.
It is understood that if the speed limit is high and there is more than one traffic lane available, road users should stick to the leftmost lane and reserve the right lanes for overtaking only.
Western Australia
The big state has pretty similar rules to the rest of the nation. If the speed limit is 90 km/h or more, you must keep to the left. Below 90 km/h you should only do so if there are signs indicating so much.
As in other states, you have the right to ignore keep left signs if you are overtaking, making a U-turn, avoiding an obstacle, if the left lane is a turning lane and you are not turning, or if the left lane is a dedicated lane (bus lane, lane for the movement of slow vehicles, etc.).
Also, if other lanes are congested with traffic, you can stay to the right.
The fine is small, $50, but still has two demerit points attached to it.
Northern Territory
In the NT the rules state that if a road has more than one lane and a speed limit above 80km/h or has a ‘keep left unless overtaking’ sign then you must keep to the left side of the road.
The NT also reminds road users that when overtaking they should not increase their speed, they should also keep to the left and leave enough space for the overtaking vehicle and stay in their lane.
No demerit points or penalties for doing the wrong thing, and get this: The Northern Territory doesn’t do double demerits either!
ACT
In the Australian Capital Territory – aka roundabout country – if you’re driving in the right lane and not overtaking (and the road’s speed limit is over 80km/h), you can be fined $316 and given two demerit points .
Tasmania
The expectation is that in Tassie, if the speed limit is over 80km/h, you must keep to the left unless you are overtaking – whether there are signs indicating it or not.
Failure to comply can result in a fine of $146.25 and two demerit points.
And since cyclists are also road users, if you ride your bike in the right lane on a road with “keep left” signs, you could face a $130 fine.
It is not intended as legal advice. Check with the relevant road authorities in your state or territory.
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