IF YOU'RE hogging the overtaking lane of a highway without passing anyone, you're not just ignoring driver etiquette; you're also breaking the law.
Ahead of the school holidays this weekend, Bayside Road Policing Unit officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Neale Stoneley has reminded Redlands motorists to keep left unless overtaking on major roads.
Under Queensland road rules, drivers must stick to the far left lane of any multi-lane road with a speed limit of 90km/h or higher, unless they are overtaking.
This overtaking rule applies to two roads in our area: Moreton Bay Road between Mount Cotton Road and the Old Cleveland Road merger, and the Gateway Motorway.
Anyone caught driving in the overtaking lane without passing could cop a $68 fine and two demerit points.
Special circumstances, including a blocked lane, making a right turn or heavy congestion, allow exceptions to the rule.
Senior Sergeant Stoneley said the law was in place to help traffic flow and prevent congestion.
"The right hand lane is meant for faster traffic, which allows for a free flow of traffic," he said.
Police will be out in force over the holidays with high-visibility operations to ensure motorists adhere to the road rules.
Senior Sergeant Stoneley asked travellers to be mindful of the "fatal five" - speeding, drink driving, not wearing a seatbelt, distraction and driving while fatigued - before taking to the roads.
"Whether you're on the highways or in the suburbs, we'll have a zero-tolerance approach [to law-breaking]," he said.
"We can only do so much. It's up to drivers to bepatient, calm and allow yourself plenty of time to get to your destination."
