What should the left-hand lane of a motorway be used for?

Mark one answer
Slow vehicles only
Overtaking slower traffic in the other lanes
Breakdowns and emergencies only
Normal driving

The official DVSA guide to driving states:

Lane discipline is vitally important on motorways. You should normally drive in the left-hand lane.

Two-lane motorways

On a two-lane motorway, the correct position for normal driving is in the left-hand lane.

The right-hand (offside) lane is for overtaking only. Once you’ve overtaken you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as it’s safe to do so. It isn’t the ‘fast lane’.

Large goods vehicles are permitted to use either lane. They’re subject to the same rules on lane use described above.

Motorways with three or more lanes

Because of the volume of traffic on three-lane motorways, many are being widened to four or more lanes in each direction.

Keep to the left-hand lane unless there are slower vehicles ahead – it’s possible to stay in the centre or outer lanes while you’re overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, but don’t stay in these lanes

  • longer than you have to
  • if you’re delaying traffic behind you.

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