146Driving within a single marked lane or line of traffic

146 Driving within a single marked lane or line of traffic

(1) A driver on a multi‑lane road must drive so the driver’s vehicle is completely in a marked lane, unless the driver is: (a) entering a part of the road of one kind from a part of the road of another kind (for example, moving to or from a service road or a shoulder of the road); or (b) entering or leaving the road; or (c) moving from one marked lane to another marked lane; or (d) avoiding an obstruction; or (e) obeying a traffic control device applying to the marked lane; or (f) permitted to drive in more than one marked lane under another provision of the Australian Road Rules or under another law of this jurisdiction.

Offence provision.

Note 1: Driver’s vehicle, marked lane, multi‑lane road, obstruction, service road and traffic control device are defined in the dictionary and shoulder is defined in rule 12.

Note 2: A driver is generally not permitted to move from one marked lane to another marked lane across a continuous line separating the lanes—see rule 147.

Note 3: Rule 148 deals with giving way when moving from one marked lane to another marked lane.

Note 4: An overhead lane control device may require a driver to leave a marked lane—see rule 152.

Note 5: Drivers of certain long vehicles are permitted to use 2 marked lanes when turning at an intersection—see rule 28 (left turns) and rule 32 (right turns).

(2) A driver on a road with 2 or more lines of traffic travelling in the same direction as the driver, but without marked lanes, must drive so the driver’s vehicle is completely in a single line of traffic unless: (a) it is not practicable to drive completely in a single line of traffic; or (b) the driver is entering a part of the road of one kind from a part of the road of another kind (for example, moving to or from a service road or a shoulder of the road); or (c) the driver is entering or leaving the road; or (d) the driver is moving from one line of traffic to another line of traffic; or (e) the driver is avoiding an obstruction.

Offence provision.

Note: Rule 148 deals with giving way when moving from one line of traffic to another line of traffic.

(3) If a driver diverges to the left or right within a marked lane, the driver must give way to any vehicle that is in the same marked lane.

Offence provision.