Drivers are being reminded of a basic road rule after many admitted they did not realise how the law applies when a lane ends.
The ACT Government recently put the question to residents online, asking who must give way when one lane finishes and a driver needs to move across a continuous lane separation line.
“Is it car A, travelling in the lane that’s ending, that needs to cross the line? Or is it car B that’s already in the lane?” they asked.
The answer left plenty of Australians scratching their heads, with many saying the rule is confusing and easy to misunderstand.
The ACT Government explained that when a lane ends, the driver in that lane must give way to the vehicle already travelling in the lane they want to enter.
“Lane changing procedures are required when one lane ends and you are required to merge into another lane,” they said.
“If you have to cross a lane line, or merge line, you MUST give way to any vehicles in the lane that you wish to enter. You must not cross unless it is safe to do so.”
Some drivers said they knew the correct answer, but claimed the rule is regularly ignored on Australian roads.
“Too bad nobody seems to know this!! Merging drivers are always forcing their way in,” one wrote.
“‘A’ needs to give way… but it rarely happens because people don’t know the rules,” another said.
Part of the confusion comes from the fact that two similar-looking merging situations are governed by different rules across Australia.
When a lane ends and a driver must cross a broken line into the next lane, the vehicle moving over must give way. This is called a lane change merge.
However, when two lanes come together and the dividing line disappears, the vehicle that is ahead has right of way. This is known as a zip merge.
In the first scenario, the yellow car must give way. In the second, the blue car must give way.
Drivers who get merging wrong can face penalties around the country, although the amounts vary by state and territory.
In the ACT, failing to merge properly can result in a $326 fine and three demerit points. In New South Wales, not giving way when changing lanes or when an ending lane merges into another lane can attract a fine of $330 or $423, depending on the situation. In Queensland, the penalty is $400 and three demerit points. Tasmania, Western Australia and Victoria also impose fines for incorrect merging, although the penalties are lower.
