On roads with two or more lanes outside of town, whether on a motorway, dual carriageway or highway, we have all encountered a slow driver who circulates in the central lane or even in the left lane, while the right lane, through which should circulate if there is no reason why it cannot do so, it is idle. What should I do in this case? Can I overtake him on the right? We’ll tell you then…
Before getting into the matter, let’s see what the Traffic Regulations say about driving outside of town with more than one lane. Article 31, Use of lanes outside of towns, on roads with more than one lane for the same direction of travel, states: “On roads with more than one lane reserved for the direction of travel, traffic will normally be in the located further to your right, although you may use the rest of those in that direction when the circumstances of the traffic or the road make it advisable, provided that it does not hinder the progress of another vehicle that is following you.”
In the same way, article 32, Use of lanes, outside of towns, on roads with three or more lanes for the same direction of travel, says: “The groups of vehicles of more than seven meters in length will normally circulate on the located furthest to their right, and they may use the immediate one with the same condition and in the same circumstances mentioned in article 31”.
Since we already know the theory of how we should circulate correctly, let’s go with overtaking. A hot topic…
The Traffic Regulations say that you always have to overtake on the left, without hindering the faster vehicles that come from behind, and return to the right lane when the maneuver has been carried out if you do not intend to overtake again. So roughly.
Overtaking a vehicle on the right is considered a serious offense and would carry a fine or penalty of 200 euros.
Let’s take an example: we are driving in the right lane of a 3-lane highway with a speed limit of 120 km/h at the maximum speed limit. Our lane is empty but we meet another driver who is driving in the central lane at 100 km/h, that is, slower. We know that this driver is not driving correctly since he should be driving in the right lane, but even though the right lane is empty, we cannot pass him without changing lanes. In this case, we must first move to the central lane and then move to the one on the left. Once passed we will return to the right.
This would be the ideal maneuver and, although the one who is not circulating correctly is the other driver, do not get carried away by the “anger” and do not overtake on the right because you can be fined.
But there are exceptions! In some specific cases it is allowed to overtake on the right or even passing another vehicle on the right is not considered overtaking. We return to the Traffic Regulations, to articles 82 and 83, to see these cases:
If there is enough space for it, the overtaking will be carried out on the right, adopting the maximum precautions, when the driver of the vehicle that is intended to be overtaken is clearly indicating his intention to change direction to the left or take an exit located on the left.
When traffic density is such that vehicles occupy the entire width of the roadway and can only travel at a speed that depends on that of the vehicle preceding them in their lane, the fact that those in one lane travel faster than of another will not be considered as an overtaking.
In this situation, no driver should change lanes to overtake or to carry out any other maneuver other than preparing to turn right or left, leave the roadway or take a certain direction.
In any section of road where there are acceleration or deceleration lanes or lanes or parts of the road intended exclusively for the traffic of certain vehicles, the fact that it advances more quickly by those than by normal traffic will not be considered overtaking, or vice versa.
Within towns, on roads that have at least two lanes reserved for traffic in the same direction of travel, delimited by longitudinal markings, overtaking on the right is allowed.
