Placement of Vehicles on the Road

If the carriageway is divided into lanes by horizontal marking lines and (or) road signs, vehicles must travel in these lanes. Crossing onto broken horizontal marking lines is permitted only when changing lanes; crossing solid horizontal marking lines is permitted only in the cases specified in Annex 3 of the Rules. If there is a solid horizontal marking line (single or double) separating opposing lanes of traffic, the driver must drive on the right of it. Crossing solid horizontal marking lines and islands of refuge is also permitted as an exception when continuing to drive without changing lanes is impossible due to a stationary obstacle on the carriageway (a fallen tree, a traffic accident, a vehicle forced to stop or parked in a prohibited place, or other stationary objects that make traffic impossible), provided that doing so is safe and does not obstruct other road users.

On a two-way road with four or more lanes, or on a road with a central reservation, it is prohibited to enter the side of the road intended for traffic in the opposite direction, to drive on the central reservation, or to drive across it.

The driver must drive as close as possible to the right edge of the carriageway.

Heavy goods vehicles with a maximum permissible vehicle mass (hereinafter – maximum permissible mass) exceeding 3.5 t are prohibited from traveling farther from the right edge of the carriageway than the second lane, except in cases where they need to turn left, turn around, go around an obstacle, stop or park on a one-way road.

Outside built-up areas, drivers driving vehicles whose speed must not exceed 40 km/h, as well as vehicles whose total length exceeds 7 m, must maintain such a distance from the vehicle in front that vehicles overtaking them can move into the right side of the road without obstruction. This requirement does not apply if the driver themselves intends to overtake, or if traffic is heavy.

Vehicles whose design speed cannot exceed 40 km/h, or which due to technical reasons cannot reach such a speed, must travel only in the outermost right lane, except when they overtake, go around, change lanes, or stop on a one-way road for loading cargo.

Drivers of mopeds and light quadricycles must travel only in the first lane from the right edge of the carriageway, as close as possible to its right edge, except when they need to turn left, turn around, go around an obstacle, drive straight where only right turns are permitted from the first lane, stop or park on a one-way road.

Drivers of motor vehicles, tractors, self-propelled machines and carriage drivers are prohibited from driving on grass, sidewalks, pedestrian and (or) bicycle paths, or bicycle lanes, or from driving onto them, except in cases where driving onto the edge of the sidewalk is permitted by road signs indicating the parking method, and the bicycle path or bicycle lane is marked with horizontal marking line 1.14. It is prohibited to drive vehicles on the central reservation, on the slopes of embankments or excavations, in ditches, or to enter or leave the road outside places specially designated for this purpose.
1.14. Two parallel lines formed of squares mark the place where a bicycle path or bicycle lane crosses the carriageway, or mark the bicycle lane portion of the carriageway. These lines may be crossed from both sides.

Vehicles (except bicycles and electric micro-mobility vehicles) are prohibited from going around vehicles traveling in the same direction from the right (except for the permitted going around on the right of vehicles turning left or turning around) by driving on the shoulder, deceleration lane or acceleration lane. It is recommended to go around slower-moving vehicles traveling in the same direction from the left.

The driver, depending on speed, must maintain such a distance that they would not collide with the vehicle in front if it were to brake, and also leave such a lateral gap that traffic is safe. It is recommended that the distance to the vehicle in front be no less than the distance covered in two seconds, or no less than half the speedometer reading converted to meters – for example, when the speed is 70 km/h, the distance must be no less than 35 m, unless traffic conditions require otherwise. Drivers of motor vehicles, tractors and self-propelled machines, when going around pedestrians or going around or overtaking cyclists or riders of electric micro-mobility vehicles, must leave a lateral distance of no less than 1.0 m between their vehicle and the indicated road users when the speed of motor vehicles, tractors or self-propelled machines is no greater than 50 km/h, and no less than 1.5 m when the speed of motor vehicles exceeds 50 km/h. The requirement to maintain the specified lateral distance does not apply when driving in a separate lane.