On single-lane roads, you must stay as close as practical to the left side of the road.
On multi-lane roads, if the posted speed limit is 90km/h or more, or if the road has a ‘keep left unless overtaking’ sign, you must not drive in the right-hand lane unless you are:
overtaking
turning right
making a U-turn
avoiding an obstruction
driving in congested traffic
using a special purpose lane that you are allowed to be in.
Drivers are allowed to overtake on the left on all multi-lane roads.
Video of keeping left
Watch this short video to learn more about keeping left and overtaking.
Is it okay to drive in the right hand lane if there isn't a keep left unless overtaking sign?
Well, no, that's not the rule.
If the speed limit on a multi-lane road is 90 kilometres per hour or more, there's no need for a keep left unless overtaking sign.
You must keep the right hand lane free, unless:
you are overtaking
avoiding an obstruction
or if the traffic in the left hand lanes is congested.
It's all about keeping the traffic moving.
So remember the rule, if the speed limit is 90 kilometres per hour or more, you must keep left so the right lane is always free
Overtaking
You can only overtake another vehicle if you have a clear view of any approaching traffic and you can do so safely. Make sure all road markings and signs allow you to overtake.
You can only overtake to the left of a vehicle if it is safe to do so and:
you are driving on a multi-lane road and the vehicle can be overtaken in a marked lane to the left of the vehicle
the vehicle is turning right or making a U-turn from the centre of the road and is indicating right
the vehicle is stationary
you are lane filtering on a motorcycle.
It is never legal to exceed the speed limit to overtake another vehicle.
Overtaking at a pedestrian or children’s crossing
If you’re approaching a pedestrian or children’s crossing, you cannot overtake or pass a vehicle that is travelling in the same direction and has stopped or is stopping at the crossing.
Motorists passing bicycle and personal mobility device riders
When riding your bike, you can overtake vehicles, including personal mobility devices, on the left but you must give way to any vehicle in front of you that is turning left and signalling to turn left.
You can expect to share some bike lanes with personal mobility devices. They are allowed to ride in bike lanes on roads with a speed limit of 50km/h or less and all bike lanes that are physically separated from other lanes of traffic (for example, by bollards or raised median strip).
