Driver faces thousands in fines over another simple road rule

Driving on the open road can be a liberating experience.

Yet, it also comes with the responsibility of keeping everyone on the road safe.

For drivers based in one state, there's a road rule that could lead to a hefty fine when ignored.

It's a rule some might overlook, but recent incidents show that it's one that the police have been taking seriously.


On 22 November, NSW Police spotted a driver cruising along the Hume Highway in the state's Southern Tablelands.

The driver was travelling west in the right-hand lane for an extended period without overtaking, turning right, or avoiding obstructions.

Despite passing several signs stating, 'Keep left unless overtaking,' the driver continued in the right lane.

Upon pulling the vehicle over, police discovered that the learner driver incorrectly used P-plates on the vehicle.


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The violator was caught driving a Subaru Forester. Image Credit: Facebook/Traffic and Highway Patrol Command-NSW Police Force


According to state laws, learner drivers must be accompanied by a fully licenced supervisor.

In this man's case, the other passenger in the vehicle was a woman with a P1 licence, tending to a small child in the rear passenger seat.

The man faced multiple penalties and was suspended from driving for three months.


This man's case was not an isolated incident, as right-hand lane driving offences have been on the rise.

Last August, authorities penalised another driver on the M5 in NSW.

In one case, a P-plater was fined $410 and lost two demerit points for failing to keep left despite multiple signs and even a police car following them for three kilometres.

Police have urged motorists to keep the rule in mind.

Astor Legal Avinash Singh commented on the severity of the rule.

'On a road where there is a speed limit of more than 80 km/h, you must not drive in the right lane unless you're overtaking. You can incur a fine of up to $2,200 for disobeying this rule.'


In a similar incident in Victoria, a 42-year-old man was caught driving in the right lane without overtaking on the Geelong Ring Road.

This resulted in $198 worth of fines and two demerit points.

For seasoned drivers, it's a reminder to refresh your knowledge of road rules, as they could change over time.

Keeping up to date with the latest regulations can help you avoid fines and demerit points and, more importantly, keep you and your loved ones safe on the road.
Key Takeaways

  • A NSW driver was caught travelling in the right-hand lane without overtaking.
  • The driver was a learner driving without proper supervision and not displaying L-plates.
  • The incident highlighted an increasing issue with drivers ignoring the 'Keep left unless overtaking' rule on highways.
  • Penalties for driving in the right-hand lane when not overtaking could reach $2,200.
Have you ever been caught violating this rule? Do you have any driving tips everyone can keep in mind? Share your experiences and driving advice with us in the comments below.
 

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The roads are so bad in SA that you either drive in the overtaking lane (move left if someone is coming up behind) or hit massive pot holes and broken edges. Our highway 1 is like a patchwork quilt.
A Gravel road would be smoother! One section had new overtaking lanes built, 2 weeks later all the edges had broken away. Now it’s back to 60 and 80 for ages due to the mess it’s in less than a year later.
Same with the Bruce Highway after one leaves Gympie
 
One of my pet hates is when you attempt to pass and a car drives up beside you and fluctuates their speed so you can't pass then another car moves up behind you. You can't pass and you can't get back in the left lane. After 1/2 hour or more of that you tend to forget to move over. You are too busy watching the traffic in front of you and don't always realize straight away that the car behind you has turned off or stopped.
 
Same with the Bruce Highway after one leaves Gympie
A lot of our roads in SA are "bandaided" -metro & country. Edges of roads /highways are "breaking away" It makes it difficult for cyclists too as their strip is often badly "damaged" with split and holes in surfaces. It's not good if you ride over one at the wrong angle either. I've been thrown off more than once.
 
How can you obey a "KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING" sign when you can't even read f**king English!?
Yes or ppl go to overtake a vehicle (truck) and just sit nxt to it and not pass it. They then block the lane completely. They should overtake quickly and cleanly … not be in the truck drivers blind spot .
 
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The condition of the roads may have something to do with this. There are so many pot holes in the left lane that it's dangerous to drive. The right hand lane is smoother as it's less used. Having said this, I am considerate and move over to the left lane if there is someone behind me, and when the road is smoother.
 
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The condition of the roads may have something to do with this. There are so many pot holes in the left lane that it's dangerous to drive. The right hand lane is smoother as it's less used. Having said this, I am considerate and move over to the left lane if there is someone behind me, and when the road is smoother.
So you break the Law deliberately, there really isn't any excuse
 
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It's about time people got fined for this. It is just lazy drivers and I have noticed that instructors are letting people drive in the right lane so perhaps they should clamp down on them as well, cause just about every learner or P plate drive I see go straight into the right lane when ever the road is divided. It also helps with Emergency Vehicles if the right lane is clear.
 
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That is so true. That is what causes some of the accidents and the truck driver ALWAYS get blamed.
Another big problem they have is people passing them when they are turning. Quickest way to get your car damaged or you even end up under a truck, possibly between wheels along the side of a truck. In many cases it takes the width of 2 lanes to turn a long truck around a corner or very narrow bend.
 
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Wait until an officious police office pulls that car over and tells the driver the sign on his car is a distraction. From a reliable source I heard about a vehicle that was pulled over because of some thin tinsel on a bumper bar and ordered to take it off immediately. Not even allowed to drive up the road to buy scissors to cut it in one place to take it off without damaging anything
 

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