Stumble It!
Drivers urged to "keep left"
02/08/07 14:29 Filed in: Motoring
To raise awareness of the problems
caused by drivers who don't keep to the left lane, the Highways
Agency has launched a DVD, presented by John Stapleton, called
'Stay Safe, Keep Moving'.
The rules are quite clear. Drivers should keep to the left hand lane if the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking, you must return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken or if you are delaying traffic behind you. Dual carriageways and other roads with multiple lanes provide the only other reason to be in the right-hand lane and that is when you are in the process of turning right.
John Stapleton went on patrol with Highways Agency traffic officers to see the problem close up.
Drivers need to remember to move back to the left after overtaking
"I was out with the traffic officers and saw lines of cars in the middle lane, five, six, seven vehicles only using one lane of a major motorway," John Stapleton said. "This type of driving holds other vehicles up, causing congestion, and also has safety risks. Middle lane driving encourages tailgating, dangerous in itself, and encourages people to make other unsafe manoeuvres such as undertaking. Drivers should be using the left hand lane."
"The centre and outer lane are for overtaking. Everyone should be using the left hand lane when it is free, making best use of the full road and reducing congestion," says Stuart Lovatt, safety action plan co-ordinator at the Highways Agency.
The new DVD is backed by the AA and the RAC Foundation and was produced by the Highways Agency as part of its commitment to improving road safety and journey reliability.
"Poor lane discipline wastes the scarce resource of road capacity, encourages road rage and leads to dangerous tailgating," Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation points out. "In the late 50's and early 60's "courtesy cops" advised drivers how to use the lanes on the new dual carriageways and motorways We need to practise more courtesy on the motorways today, in order not to hold up those in a greater hurry than ourselves."
The short film can viewed on the internet on the Public TV website - at www.public.tv/HighwaysAgency
The rules are quite clear. Drivers should keep to the left hand lane if the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking, you must return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken or if you are delaying traffic behind you. Dual carriageways and other roads with multiple lanes provide the only other reason to be in the right-hand lane and that is when you are in the process of turning right.
John Stapleton went on patrol with Highways Agency traffic officers to see the problem close up.
Drivers need to remember to move back to the left after overtaking
"I was out with the traffic officers and saw lines of cars in the middle lane, five, six, seven vehicles only using one lane of a major motorway," John Stapleton said. "This type of driving holds other vehicles up, causing congestion, and also has safety risks. Middle lane driving encourages tailgating, dangerous in itself, and encourages people to make other unsafe manoeuvres such as undertaking. Drivers should be using the left hand lane."
"The centre and outer lane are for overtaking. Everyone should be using the left hand lane when it is free, making best use of the full road and reducing congestion," says Stuart Lovatt, safety action plan co-ordinator at the Highways Agency.
The new DVD is backed by the AA and the RAC Foundation and was produced by the Highways Agency as part of its commitment to improving road safety and journey reliability.
"Poor lane discipline wastes the scarce resource of road capacity, encourages road rage and leads to dangerous tailgating," Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation points out. "In the late 50's and early 60's "courtesy cops" advised drivers how to use the lanes on the new dual carriageways and motorways We need to practise more courtesy on the motorways today, in order not to hold up those in a greater hurry than ourselves."
The short film can viewed on the internet on the Public TV website - at www.public.tv/HighwaysAgency
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