Travel
Which motorway lane should you use, and how do you overtake?
Keep to the clearest lane on the right; use a lane to the left to overtake, then return right when safe.
On an Italian motorway, drivers should normally use the clearest lane on the right. Lanes to the left are for overtaking under the Highway Code. Before changing lanes, check traffic, distance, visibility, and signs; after overtaking, return right as soon as this can be done safely.
Keep right when you are not overtaking
Article 143 says that on a carriageway with two or more lanes in each direction, drivers should use the clearest lane on the right unless signs say otherwise. A motorway is not a place to stay in a middle or left lane simply because it feels more convenient. Check the traffic and move back to the right when the lane is clear.
Before moving over, signal and check mirrors and blind spots. Make sure another driver has not already started an overtake and that you can complete the change without cutting off a vehicle or forcing it to brake. Signs and temporary lane controls take priority over the general pattern.
Overtake with space and return safely
Article 148 requires the driver to make sure there is enough visibility and clear road to pass without danger or obstruction. On a multi-lane carriageway, the pass takes place in the lane immediately to the left of the vehicle being overtaken. Leave adequate lateral distance and do not accelerate if you are the driver being passed.
Once the overtake is complete, return to the right when there is sufficient space. Do not weave between lanes, undertake another vehicle, or stay in the passing lane in a way that obstructs faster traffic. The law permits remaining briefly in that lane when continuing a sequence of overtakes, provided faster traffic is not impeded.
Do not treat a clear lane as permission to pass anywhere
An overtake still depends on road markings, visibility, traffic, and the signs for that section. A vehicle on the right may appear to be moving slowly, but passing it on the right is not a general motorway manoeuvre. Article 148 allows it only in limited situations, such as when the vehicle ahead has signalled and begun a left turn or stop on a one-way road.
If you cannot complete a pass safely, remain behind and wait. A few seconds saved are not worth a sudden lane change or a collision with someone approaching from behind.
To review Italian lane-use and overtaking rules, Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers theory chapters, exam quizzes, and error review.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay in the middle lane if the motorway is quiet?
No general rule gives you a reason to stay there: use the clearest lane on the right unless signs or an active manoeuvre require otherwise.
May I overtake on the right?
Not as a general rule. Article 148 allows specific exceptions, but ordinary overtaking on a multi-lane road is done on the left.