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Lane-Splitting in Australia.

Posted on March 10, 2013

The subject of lane-splitting on a motorcycle often comes up in discussion. In Australia, the legality of lane-splitting is not absolute. For example, under some circumstances, such as two (or even three) motorcycles sharing a lane, this manouvre may be legal (further specifics apply). Under some other circumstances, lane-splitting is illegal.

Below are verbatim excerpts of Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995; Transport Operations (Road Use Management-Road Rules) Regulation 1999 that are relevant to lane-splitting. The name of this legislation is sometimes abbreviated to TORUM. TORUM applies to the state of Queensland and is derived from the Australian Road Rules (ARR).

Other Australian state and territory road use legislation is also derived from the ARR. Although these sections have been excerpted directly from TORUM, they can also be found in the ARR (under the same sections) and also in the road use legislation for other Australian states and territories.

141 No overtaking etc to the left of a vehicle

  1. A driver (except the rider of a bicycle) must not overtake a vehicle to the left of the vehicle unless–
    • the driver is driving on a multi-lane road and the vehicle can be safely overtaken in a marked lane to the left of the vehicle; or
    • the vehicle is turning right, or making a U–turn from the centre of
    • the road, and is giving a right change of direction signal.
  2. The rider of a bicycle must not ride past, or overtake, to the left of a vehicle that is turning left and is giving a left change of direction signal.
  3. In this section–
    • “turning right” does not include making a hook turn.
    • “vehicle” does not include a bus travelling along tram tracks, or any vehicle displaying a do not overtake turning vehicle sign.

142 No overtaking to the right of a vehicle turning right etc

  1. A driver must not overtake to the right of a vehicle if the vehicle is–
    • turning right or making a U-turn from the centre of the road; and
    • giving a right change of direction signal.
  2. In this section–
    • “turning right” does not include making a hook turn.
    • “vehicle” does not include a bus travelling along tram tracks, or any vehicle displaying a do not overtake turning vehicle sign.

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–
    • entering a part of the road of 1 kind from a part of the road of another kind (for example, moving to or from a service road, a shoulder of the road or emergency stopping lane); or
    • entering or leaving the road; or
    • moving from 1 marked lane to another marked lane; or
    • avoiding an obstruction; or
    • obeying a traffic control device applying to the marked lane; or
    • permitted to drive in more than 1 marked lane under this regulation.
  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–
    • it is not practicable to drive completely in a single line of traffic; or
    • the driver is entering a part of the road of 1 kind from a part of the road of another kind (for example, moving to or from a service road, a shoulder of the road or an emergency stopping lane); or
    • the driver is entering or leaving the road; or
    • the driver is moving from 1 line of traffic to another line of traffic; or
    • the driver is avoiding an obstruction.

147 Moving from 1 marked lane to another marked lane across a continuous line separating the lanes

A driver on a multi-lane road must not move from 1 marked lane to another marked lane by crossing a continuous line separating the lanes unless–

  • the driver is avoiding an obstruction; or
  • the driver is obeying a traffic control device applying to the first marked lane; or
  • the driver is permitted to drive in both marked lanes under this regulation; or
  • either of the marked lanes is a special purpose lane in which the driver is permitted to drive under this regulation and the driver is moving to or from the special purpose lane.

150 Driving on or across a continuous white edge line

  1. A driver must not drive on or over a continuous white edge line on a road unless the driver is–
    • turning at an intersection; or
    • entering or leaving the road; or
    • entering a part of the road of 1 kind from a part of the road of another kind (for example, moving to or from a service road, a shoulder of the road or an emergency stopping lane); or
    • overtaking a vehicle that is–
      • turning right or making a U-turn from the centre of the road; and
      • giving a right change of direction signal; or
    • driving a slow-moving vehicle; or
    • stopping at the side of the road (including any shoulder of the road); or
    • driving a vehicle that is too wide, or too long, to drive on the road without driving on or over the edge line.
  2. This section does not apply to the rider of a bicycle or animal.

151 Riding a motor bike or bicycle alongside more than 1 other rider

  1. The rider of a motor bike or bicycle must not ride on a road that is not a multi-lane road alongside more than 1 other rider, unless subsection (3) applies to the rider.
  2. The rider of a motor bike or bicycle must not ride in a marked lane alongside more than 1 other rider in the marked lane, unless subsection (3) applies to the rider.
  3. The rider of a motor bike or bicycle may ride alongside more than 1 other rider if the rider is overtaking the other riders.
  4. If the rider of a motor bike or bicycle is riding on a road that is not a multi-lane road alongside another rider, or in a marked lane alongside another rider in the marked lane, the rider must ride not over 1.5 m from the other rider.
  5. In this section–
  • “road” does not include a road-related area, but includes a bicycle path, a shared path and any shoulder of the road.