On a three-lane motorway, the driving rules are the same as on a two-lane motorway: drivers must use the far right lane when it is free. The middle lane, like the left lane, is for overtaking only.
Three-lane motorway: what are the driving rules?
Remember, overtaking is always done on the left and must be signaled by using your turn signal, both when passing and when merging back into the right lane! Once you have overtaken one or more vehicles, you must move back into the right lane until the next overtaking maneuver.
Many drivers have the bad habit of staying in the middle lane even when the right lane is available. Make it a habit to move back into the right lane after overtaking!
An exception: the lane reserved for slow vehicles
On some coastal roads, our highways have a special lane reserved for slow vehicles to prevent them from slowing down traffic. These lanes are designed for vehicles that cannot travel at speeds exceeding 60 km/h: they are therefore not exclusively reserved for trucks.
These lanes are indicated by a "slow vehicle" sign and separated from the other two lanes by road markings. If you are driving on a section of motorway with a slow vehicle lane, you must exceptionally drive in the lane to the left of it.
Can we use the emergency lane?
As its name suggests, the emergency lane is reserved for emergency situations. It must be kept clear to allow emergency and intervention vehicles to pass.
If you drive on the emergency lane without a valid reason, you risk a fixed penalty fine of €135 and the deduction of three points from your license. Furthermore, you endanger other motorists by obstructing the emergency lane: it must remain clear for law enforcement, emergency services, breakdown services, and motorway intervention teams.
If you need to stop but it is not an emergency, keep in mind that there is a motorway service area approximately every 20 km.