Using lanes correctly

Lanes are painted on the road to separate traffic. It’s important that you use lanes correctly.

Because of the size of your vehicle, you may not always be able to stay entirely in your own lane while making some driving manoeuvres. If this is the case, you must give way to vehicles in the other lane and drive carefully.

Making a right turn at an intersection with marked lanes

When turning right from a road that has more than one marked lane in each direction into another road with more than one marked lane in each direction:

make sure you are in a right-turn lane. If there is more than one right-turn lane, use the left right-turn lane so vehicles are not in your blind spot
signal for at least three seconds before turning
turn into the appropriate lane. Don't change lanes in the turn.

At a controlled traffic light intersection which is showing a green light, a heavy vehicle on the left of two marked lanes is signalling to make a 90 degrees right turn keeping to the left lane. There is no visible traffic at this intersection.

Turning right with marked lanes

Making a right turn from a one-way street

When turning right from a one-way street, you should stay in the same lane throughout the turn. That means:

if you’re turning from the left-hand lane of the one-way street, turn into the lefthand lane of the two-way street
avoid turning from the right-hand lane of the one-way street as you are not able to see what is happening on the left side of your vehicle.

Remember to signal for at least three seconds before turning.

Two heavy vehicles on a one-way street, each sitting on a two marked laned at a controlled traffic light intersection showing green light, are both about to make a 90 degrees turn to a two-way street. Both have their indicator signals on. The left laned heavy vehicle will turn to the far-left lane. The right laned heavy vehicle will turn to the right lane.

Turning right from a one-way street

Two vehicles turning into the same road at a laned intersection

When two vehicles are turning into the same road at an intersection that has more than one marked lane in both directions:

both vehicles show they want to turn by signalling for at least three seconds
both vehicles stay in their own lane throughout the turn:
- vehicle A turns from the left-hand lane into the left-hand lane
- vehicle B turns from the right-hand lane into the right-hand lane
- giving way is not required as the vehicles have a lane each.

Two vehicles, a heavy vehicle and a red car, both want to turn into the same road at a two-laned intersection. The red car will turn to the left-hand lane, whereas the heavy vehicle will turn to the right-hand lane. Both can move towards their own lane safely at the same time without the need to give way.

Turning at a laned intersection

Safe turning tip

If you have stopped to turn right, keep your wheels pointed straight ahead until you start to turn. That way, if you are hit from behind you are less likely to be pushed into the path of oncoming traffic.

Special vehicle lanes

Special vehicle lanes have signs or markings that indicate they are only for the use of specific kinds of vehicles, such as buses, cycles or vehicles carrying a specified number of passengers (transit lanes).

Examples of special vehicle lane signs

Other vehicles may use special vehicle lanes to make a turn or get to a parking space. Use of the lane for these purposes must be kept to a minimum length and be no more than 50 metres. You must give way to any vehicles entitled to use the lane.

Some special vehicle lanes operate 24 hours a day for the use of the designated vehicles. Others have times of operation specified on their signs, for example, ‘4pm to 6pm’. In that case, you may be able to park or stop in them outside of those times.

Important

Do not drive your truck in cycle lanes.