Chapter 9 of the SDA and article 12.15 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation fully describe the rules, details of the location of the vehicle on the road, including the incorrect location of the car on the roadway. The penalty for violation varies from a thousand to five thousand rubles.
The main element of the road
In traffic rules, the carriageway is defined as an element of the roadway intended for the movement of trackless vehicles.
To streamline the movement and achieve its greatest safety, the carriageway is divided into lanes, using special marking lines for this. The location of the vehicle on the carriageway, the rules emphasize this , must comply with this condition. You cannot run into a car for marking. The exceptions are the broken center line (if a rebuild is supposed) and the solid line (if parking is necessary on the side of the road).
Most motorists do not even realize that they violate traffic rules, moving around the markings. Because the vehicle must be located within the lane, and the driver must observe the necessary intervals and a safe distance.
An ideal situation is when the following conditions are met:
- Vehicles do not make rearrangements (this maneuver is considered potentially dangerous);
- all move, strictly observing lane;
- no one seeks to go into the zone for oncoming traffic (this is fraught with a frontal impact or tangent);
- left (or extreme) lane is free (for rapid response services).
Roadway without signs
The number of lanes for traffic flow is established, according to the SDA, with a marking line and / or signs 5.15.1, 5.15.2, 5.15.7, 5.15.8. Moreover, two-wheeled mechanical vehicles are allowed to move along one allocated lane in two rows.
In the absence of the necessary signs and / or marking lines, the location of the vehicle on the roadway is determined by the drivers themselves, while taking into account the width of the entire roadway and the intervals for safe maneuvers and the dimensions of the vehicle.
As a rule, the width of the roadway in settlements is within the limits of 2.75-4 meters, outside the boundaries of the settlement - 3-3.75 meters.
On the road without axial markings with traffic in both directions, the left half of the road is taken as the oncoming one, and pockets, passenger bus stops and other extensions of the carriageway are not considered.
From the foregoing, it is clear that in the middle of the vehicle can not move.
Multi-lane roadway
The axial marking line in this case is always double continuous, therefore absolutely all maneuvers should be performed within the borders of their lane.
If the road with a stream on both sides has four lanes and / or more, it is forbidden to go into the oncoming traffic zone, as this is fraught with an emergency. This road requires motorists to make U-turns and / or left-turns exclusively at places designated for these maneuvers or at intersections. In the presence of adequately applied markings, the location of vehicles on the roadway (SDA, Ch. 9) is not difficult for motorists. If the roadway is not marked, the motorist should be as concentrated as possible so as not to violate traffic rules.
Vehicles, being on a marked road, are obliged to move strictly along a busy lane. It is forbidden to run into the marking line (with the exception of rebuilding or another maneuver). According to experts, this may be misleading for a number of the following motorists (they may think that the rebuilding begins).
Separately, in the SDA, the movement of freight vehicles weighing more than 2.5 tons outside the boundaries of settlements is scheduled. If for vehicles with less weight, it is recommended that the vehicle is located on the carriageway to the right as far as possible, then for heavy trucks the left extreme lane is categorically prohibited. Naturally, a left turn refers to an exception, as does a U-turn.
Three-lane roadway
It is also predetermined for traffic flow in both directions. Road marking divides the carriageway into three lanes. The middle one can take both streams, but only for avoiding obstacles, getting ahead, turning and / or turning left. On the left side of the three-lane roadway, it is strictly forbidden to be oncoming vehicles.
Within the boundaries of settlements, the rules again rely on the principle of “everything that is not forbidden is allowed” and indicate that motorists can move in any suitable lane for him.
The exception is three-lane roads. The one in the middle is intended only for reverse movement. It is highlighted by 1.9 markup.
Intermittent continuous lane
An infrequently encountered, but present on our roads, variant of three-lane traffic, in which each lane is marked with a dashed line. In this case, the location of vehicles on the roadway (traffic rules emphasize this) in the middle lane is allowed for motorists following in both directions. But they must take into account that, leaving in the middle lane, make a permitted exit to the oncoming lane. Therefore, the assessment of the situation on the road should be especially thorough.
Categorically forbid the rules to leave the vehicle in the oncoming traffic zone (far left lane) of a three-lane road with intermittent markings. The offense is punishable by the removal of a driver’s license for a period of four months to six.
What is the situation with a U-turn on a similar roadway? It can be prohibited by a special sign, SDA or marking. If it is intermittent, there are no signs, the rules prohibit only overtaking or avoiding a sudden obstacle, then a U-turn and a left turn are possible. You can make it from the middle lane, from the right or from the side of the road. Before these maneuvers, you must make sure that they are safe.
Two-lane carriageway
The sides of the movement on such a road are marked with a solid center line. Therefore, in the event of any obstacle, a traffic jam is created (the continuous one cannot be crossed). According to the adopted changes in the law in this situation, drivers need to wait for the inspector, who will give the go-ahead for a detour through the solid marking line of the obstacle that has arisen.
For this and some other reasons, two-lane roads are marked with a dashed line.
An interesting nuance is in the traffic rules relating to two-way hearse. In particular, the rules do not indicate that on such a carriageway it is allowed to travel into the oncoming traffic zone. It is also not said that this is prohibited. And in our country, what is not prohibited is naturally permitted. Therefore, violation of the location of the vehicle on the carriageway with two-lane traffic is difficult to prove.
On roads with many lanes, the situation is different.
Lane traffic
If there are several lanes in one direction, in places with a permitted speed limit of more than 80 km / h, the rules for the location of vehicles on the carriageway indicate that they should move, clinging to the right side of the road. With an empty right lane, it is strictly forbidden to occupy the left lane. It can only be used for various maneuvers.
In settlements where there are speed limits, cars have the right to move in a lane convenient for them.
Lane change
SDA does not prohibit rebuilding, but not in the case of heavy traffic. For example, if all lanes are occupied , rebuilding to satisfy one’s own ambitions is prohibited. The only exception may be the need to park, turn around, go around an obstacle or turn.
It should be noted that an obstacle is a stationary object on the roadway, which does not allow you to continue moving along the lane.
Tram rails
The location of the vehicle on the carriageway for trams is possible subject to the following conditions:
- the rails are located along with the direction of vehicles;
- all lanes for road transport are occupied;
- the rails should be at the same level with the roadway and located on the left.
You can use tram tracks (as an additional lane) to make a U-turn (turn left), detour or move. Moreover, U-turns and turns (rules oblige you) must begin precisely from the tram tracks, unless otherwise specified by traffic signs . The main thing is that the location of vehicles on the carriageway with tram tracks should not create interference for the movement of electric vehicles.
Traffic regulations prohibit any movement along the tracks for electric transport if signs 5.15.1, 5.15.2 are in front of the intersection.
Reverse Road
You need to move along it in the extreme left lane. And only for restructuring, the driver has the right to go to the reverse lane. Before this, he must make sure that the movement in the necessary direction is allowed.
Distance and interval
The location of the vehicle on the roadway implies compliance with the distance (this is a certain distance between cars moving in the same direction) and the interval (the distance between the sides of vehicles traveling in the same direction and in the opposite direction).
When driving in a stream, the driver must maintain a distance that guarantees, in case of emergency braking, the safety of proximity with the vehicles in front. For the same purpose, it is necessary to observe the interval.
The higher the vehicle speed, the longer the distance should be. The same condition must be observed on slippery or snowy roads.
Traffic rules do not give clear recommendations regarding the interval or distance. Behind the scenes, a safe distance is half the speed. That is, at a speed of 100 km / h, the ideal distance is 50 meters (subject to standard road surface and normal climatic conditions).
Wrong location of the vehicle on the roadway
It always involves a fine. Today it is 1,500 rubles.
Slow-moving transport, technically unable to reach speeds of over 30 km / h, as well as vehicles with bulky cargo, are obliged (according to the SDA) to give the opportunity to drive or overtake (ahead of) the following cars. Failure to comply with this requirement is also subject to a fine (1,500 rubles).
Vehicle traffic on sidewalks, pedestrian or bicycle paths also involves a fine. The location of vehicles on the roadway, and on its oncoming lane, to avoid an obstacle is punishable by a fine from a thousand rubles to one and a half.
Departure onto oncoming rails, as well as into the oncoming traffic zone, is punishable by a monetary penalty of five thousand rubles, or by withdrawing a driver’s license for a period of four months to six (except for the above case). Repeated violation recorded by any means of automatic photo or video shooting will result in a fine of 5,000 rubles. If the inspector witnessed the violation, then he will be deprived of his driving license for a year.