Universal Obligation to Keep Right & Lane Discipline
The Universal Duty to Keep Right (Article 3 RVV 1990)
In the Netherlands, keeping to the right is a foundational traffic law:
- Where does it apply? On all roads, including 3-lane and 4-lane motorways, expressways, rural roads, and residential streets.
- After overtaking: Once you have safely overtaken slower traffic, you must indicate right and return to the right-hand lane.
- Middle-Lane Hogging (Onnodig links rijden): Remaining unnecessarily in the center or left lane when the right lane is clear is an offense with a direct fine over €260.
Vehicle Combinations over 7 Metres
- Passenger cars towing a caravan or trailer where the total combination length exceeds 7.0 metres, and trucks, may only use the two rightmost lanes on a motorway with 3 or more lanes.
- They are strictly prohibited from driving in the 3rd or 4th left lanes, even when overtaking!
Essential Statutory Rules (RVV 1990)
- Universal obligation: drivers are obliged to keep as far to the right as possible (Article 3 RVV 1990).
- Middle-lane hogging (onnodig links rijden): strictly forbidden and penalized on motorways.
- Lanes with directional arrows (voorsorteerstroken): once you enter a lane marked with arrows, you MUST follow that direction.
- Lorries and vehicle combinations >7 meters long may only use the two rightmost lanes on motorways.
Remaining in the middle or left lane when the right lane has a clear gap of a few hundred meters is illegal middle-lane hogging!
Check Your Understanding (4Questions)
Immediate CBR validation with instant answers and statutory RVV 1990 legal context. Scores persist in your module dashboard.
You are driving on a multi-lane urban road approaching a pedestrian zebra crossing. A delivery van in the lane next to you is slowing down just before the zebra. Are you permitted to overtake it?
At a bus stop without painted zig-zag curb markings, within how many metres from the bus stop sign (bord L3) are you legally prohibited from stopping your passenger car (except for immediate boarding or alighting of passengers)? Enter the number in metres.
The car ahead of you has positioned itself in the middle of the road, is indicating left, and is waiting for oncoming traffic to clear before turning left. On which side may you pass this car?
You see a bicycle lane (fietsstrook) separated from the carriageway by a solid white line with a white bicycle symbol painted inside it. Are you permitted to drive or stop on this lane?