Fine of up to 200 euros for driving in the center lane on a motorway or dual carriageway

2023-06-29 17:55:03

This Friday the DGT launches the first phase of Operation Departure for the summer of 2023. As usual in recent years, the departure and return of the holidays will be carried out “in a staggered manner and in shorter periods”, since they will coincide on numerous occasions for purposes of week.

For this reason, Traffic will establish special traffic regulation and control devices during all the weekends of the summer period. In addition, there will be four special operations: first summer operation (Friday, June 30 to Sunday, July 2), August 1 operation (Friday, July 28 to Tuesday, August 1), August 15 operation (August 11 to 15). and summer return operation (Thursday, August 31 to Sunday, September 3).

To safeguard the safety of road users, the operation has the full availability of DGT resources, both human (agents from the Civil Guard Traffic Group, civil servants from the Traffic Management Centers, patrols of helicopters and personnel in charge of maintaining equipment and installing road measures) and technicians (fixed and mobile speed control cameras, as well as helicopters, drones, cameras and camouflaged vans to control the use of mobile phones and seat belts ).

In order to favor circulation in areas with more vehicles during special operations and on weekends, the DGT will adopt measures such as installing reversible and additional lanes with cones and beaconing during peak traffic hours, and establishing alternative itineraries.

Despite the special measures, traffic jams are not ruled out, especially at the exits and entrances of large cities and at the main destination points. In these traffic jams, it is common to see how the lanes to the left of high-capacity roads are clogged, while the lane to the right registers a lower density of traffic.

Bad habits that can end in a fine

This is partly due to drivers who have a bad habit of driving in the center lane, even without impediments to driving in the right lane. All this despite the fact that the General Traffic Regulations are clear: “you will normally drive in the lane located furthest to your right, although you can use the rest of the lanes in that direction when the circumstances of the traffic or the road make it advisable.” , provided that it does not hinder the progress of another vehicle that follows it. Therefore, the rest of the lanes to your left are for overtaking, taking an exit on that side or, in the case of high traffic density, if there is no other way to circulate other than spreading out across the width of the road.

It is mandatory to drive in the right lane whenever it is free if you do not want to overtake. Strictly, anyone who drives in the left and central lanes with the right lane free can be penalized, especially if the movement of other vehicles is hindered. Also, it should be remembered that you cannot overtake on the right.

In the lane located furthest to the right, it is not allowed to pass cars that are moving slower to our left. Doing so is considered a serious infraction according to article 82, chapter VII, of the General Traffic Regulations, whose penalty is 200 euros, as well as it can cause traffic jams and accidents.

Thus, to overtake a slower car traveling in the center lane, you have to change to the adjacent left lane. Then we will finish the maneuver by returning to the lane on the right. Remember that you cannot circulate while remaining fixed in the left lane to overtake continuously.