Section 123AM: Lane discipline on dual carriageway

123AM. Lane discipline on dual carriageway (1) Every lane of a dual carriageway shall be numbered in such a manner that the lane contiguous to and to the left of the central reservation shall be numbered the first lane of that carriageway, and the lane to the left of the first lane of that carriageway shall be numbered the second lane, and so forth. (2) No person shall drive a vehicle other than an emergency vehicle, a bicycle, an electric cycle, auto cycle or a motorcycle, or allow a vehicle to remain at rest on a hard shoulder except in case of mechanical breakdown, accident, illness, or to permit any person to attend to an emergency. (3) A person shall drive his vehicle on the left lane of a dual carriageway, except where – (a) he is turning right at a junction; (b) he is overtaking; (c) directed by a police officer or traffic signs; (d) he has to select another lane at a junction to reach his destination; (e) he is avoiding an obstruction; or (f) the traffic is congested on the left lane. (4) No person driving a vehicle shall overtake another moving vehicle on the left except where – Acts 2012 323 (a) a signal to turn right is being displayed on the person’s vehicle in front and there is room for it to be safely overtaken on the left; or (b) traffic is moving slowly in queues and the vehicle is in a queue which is moving faster than the queue on the right. (5) No person shall drive a – (a) vehicle drawing a trailer; (b) goods vehicle with a maximum gross weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes; or (c) passenger vehicle constructed or adapted to carry 14 or more persons, including the driver, on the first lane of a dual carriageway with 3 or more lanes, except when turning right at a junction. (6) Any person who contravenes this section shall commit an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 2,000 rupees. (7) In this section – “lane” means a longitudinal division of a carriageway intended to accommodate a single line of vehicles moving in the same direction; “left lane” means a lane contiguous to a hard shoulder or where there is no hard shoulder, the lane found to the outermost left side of the carriageway.