What is the minimum speed limit for the overtaking lane?
3 Answers
The leftmost lane is the overtaking lane with a speed limit of 110-120 km/h. Legal provisions are as follows: 1. Article 67 of the Road Traffic Safety Law stipulates: Pedestrians, non-motor vehicles, tractors, wheeled special machinery vehicles, articulated buses, full-trailer trucks, and other motor vehicles with a maximum design speed of less than 70 km/h are not allowed to enter expressways. The maximum speed limit indicated by expressway speed limit signs shall not exceed 120 km/h. 2. Article 78 of the Implementation Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law stipulates: Expressways shall indicate the driving speed of each lane, with the maximum speed not exceeding 120 km/h and the minimum speed not lower than 60 km/h.
Having driven for decades, I've seen many people make this mistake on the highway. The overtaking lane isn't for driving slowly. According to our traffic regulations here, the minimum speed limit on highways is 60 kilometers per hour, but that applies to the entire road. In the overtaking lane, although there's no specific minimum speed written in black and white, you should maintain a high speed, generally above 80 kilometers per hour is appropriate, otherwise it's like a turtle crawling. Once on the highway, I encountered a guy moving at 50 kilometers per hour in the overtaking lane, causing a huge traffic jam behind him and nearly leading to a rear-end collision. The traffic police fined him several hundred yuan because the law clearly states that you cannot drive at low speeds in the overtaking lane for extended periods. This lane is designed for quick overtaking; if you occupy it for long without reaching the appropriate speed, you not only put yourself at risk but also disrupt the flow for everyone. So, when driving on the highway, keep an eye on the speedometer and stay above 80 to drive safely.
From a safety-first perspective, I want to particularly emphasize this issue. While there's no strict numerical minimum speed limit for the overtaking lane on highways, you must maintain a speed consistent with the main traffic flow - it's recommended to drive at least 80 km/h. Why? Because in the overtaking lane, other vehicles are accelerating rapidly, and if you dawdle below the main lane's standard speed, you risk causing rear-end collisions. As stipulated in China's Traffic Law, the absolute minimum speed is 60 km/h, but remember the overtaking lane is for faster traffic - if you can't keep up, move right immediately. I recall a road trip where a novice friend drove too slowly in the overtaking lane during rainy conditions with poor visibility, nearly rear-ending the car ahead - it was a real wake-up call. Poor speed control isn't just about potential fines; the real issue is the heightened safety risks. That's why monitoring your speedometer during routine driving is crucial for maintaining both traffic flow and safety.
