Road Rules

A driver turning left at an intersection from a multi‑lane road must approach and enter the intersection from within the left lane unless—

the driver is required or permitted to approach and enter the intersection from within another marked lane under—

section 88 (1) (Left turn sign); or

section 92 (Traffic lane arrows); or

section 159 (Marked lane required to be used by particular kind of vehicle); or

the driver is turning, at B lights or traffic arrows, in accordance with division 17.2 (Public buses); or

subsection (1A) or (2) applies to the driver.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

Example—s (1) (a)

Starting a left turn on a multi‑lane road with traffic lane arrows as required or permitted under s 92

A driver turning left at an intersection from a multi‑lane road that has a slip lane must approach and enter the intersection—

from within the slip lane; or

if there is an obstruction that prevents the driver from entering the intersection from within the slip lane—from within the left lane.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

A driver may approach and enter the intersection from the marked lane next to the left lane as well as, or instead of, the left lane if—

the driver’s vehicle, together with any load or projection, is 7.5m long, or longer; and

the vehicle displays a do not overtake turning vehicle sign; and

any part of the vehicle is within 50m of the nearest point of the intersection; and

it is not practicable for the driver to turn left from within the left lane; and

the driver can safely occupy the next marked lane and can safely turn left at the intersection by occupying the next marked lane, or both lanes.

Example

Long vehicle turning left from the left lane and next marked lane

If there is a bicycle storage area before an intersection that extends across 1 or more marked lanes of a multi‑lane road, the rider of a bicycle turning left must approach and enter the intersection from within the part of the bicycle storage area that is directly in front of the left marked lane or of a bicycle lane that is on the left side of the road.

Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.

In this section:

left lane means—

the marked lane nearest to the far left side of the road; or

if there is an obstruction (for example, a parked car or roadworks) in that marked lane—the marked lane nearest to that marked lane that is not obstructed.

marked lane, for a driver, does not include a special purpose lane in which the driver is not permitted to drive.