Police have clarified the rules on undertaking, confirming that overtaking on the left is lawful only in specific circumstances, while warning that doing so against a middle-lane hogger could result in prosecution for careless driving.
Middle-lane hogging occurs when a driver remains in the middle lane of a motorway for longer than necessary, despite the inner lane being clear of vehicles. The Highway Code, rule 264 states: "You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slow-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past."
Police response to driver's question
The clarification follows a motorist who asked the official "ask the police" website, administered by forces across the UK: "Can I overtake on the left (undertake)?"
In their response, police initially referenced rule 163 of the Highway Code, which applies to driving on non-motorways and states: "Only overtake on the left if the vehicle in front is signalling to turn right, and there is room to do so. Stay in your lane if traffic is moving slowly in queues. If the queue on your right is moving more slowly than you are, you may pass on the left."
Motorway-specific rules
However, the regulations surrounding overtaking on the left differ on motorways, and police pointed to rule 268 of the Highway Code. It states: "Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake."
Police added: "Overtaking on the left is lawful if done in accordance with the above guidance. However, whilst there is no specific offence of overtaking on the left, if a driver undertook another vehicle, other than in the circumstances described above e.g. in the case of someone hogging lane two on a motorway, they may be prosecuted for careless driving."
Advice for drivers
Police also advised motorists to exercise "extreme care" when overtaking another driver on the left, warning that it could expose them to a range of hazards. Officers pointed out, for instance, that other road users may fail to spot you as you are passing and could unexpectedly pull back to the left.
