VoieBelgique
Règles de circulation
Belgique
1. Voie
Une voie est une partie longitudinale d’une chaussée destinée à accueillir une file de véhicules en mouvement. Une chaussée peut comporter une ou plusieurs voies pour des véhicules circulant dans le même sens ou dans des sens opposés.
Les voies sont couramment séparées par des marquages continus ou discontinus. Des panneaux, flèches de voie et signaux de contrôle peuvent indiquer quels véhicules peuvent utiliser une voie, dans quelle direction le trafic doit circuler ou si la voie est ouverte ou fermée.
What is legally considered a traffic lane in Belgium?
A Belgian traffic lane, or rijstrook, is a part of the roadway divided longitudinally by one or more prescribed continuous or broken road markings.
Is a traffic lane the same as the roadway?
No. The roadway is the complete part of the public road arranged for vehicle traffic in general. It may contain one or several traffic lanes.
How are Belgian lanes currently marked?
Ordinary traffic lanes are separated by white continuous or broken longitudinal lines. Temporary lane markings at roadworks may be orange.
What does a continuous white lane line mean in Belgium?
A continuous white line may not normally be crossed by a driver. When it separates opposing traffic directions, drivers may also not travel to the left of it.
What does a broken white lane line mean?
A broken longitudinal line may be crossed when necessary for actions such as overtaking, turning left, making a U-turn or changing lane, subject to the other applicable traffic rules.
What do temporary orange lane markings mean?
At roadworks, orange temporary markings can divide or redirect traffic lanes. They have the same meaning as the corresponding white continuous or broken lines and make conflicting white longitudinal markings at the same location temporarily inapplicable.
Must Belgian drivers normally keep to the right-hand lane?
Yes. A driver following the roadway must normally remain as close as possible to its right-hand edge and return to the right when circumstances allow, subject to the specific exceptions provided by the Road Code.
Can drivers choose the lane that best suits their destination inside a built-up area?
Yes, in certain situations. Inside built-up areas, drivers may choose the lane that best suits their destination on a one-way roadway divided into lanes and on certain two-way roadways having at least two lanes for each direction.
Is changing lane a manoeuvre in Belgium?
Yes. Changing from one traffic lane or queue to another is legally considered a manoeuvre, so the driver must give way to the other road users.
Must you use your indicators when changing lane?
Yes. Before making a lateral movement, the driver must indicate the intention sufficiently early using the direction indicators when the vehicle is equipped with them.
How does zipper merging work when a Belgian lane ends?
During heavily slowed traffic, drivers in the lane that ends or becomes blocked must continue until just before the narrowing before merging. Drivers in the continuing lane must then alternately allow one merging driver to enter.
What do lane-selection arrows mean in Belgium?
White directional arrows may indicate which lane drivers must follow when approaching an intersection. At the intersection, drivers must follow one of the directions shown for the lane they occupy.
Can overhead signals close a Belgian traffic lane?
Yes. A red cross above a lane means the lane may not be used, a green downward arrow indicates that it is open, and an orange diagonal arrow directs drivers to leave the lane in the indicated direction.
Is a parking strip a traffic lane in Belgium?
No. A parking strip is a separate part of the public road alongside the roadway and does not form an ordinary traffic lane.
Will the Belgian definition of a lane change in 2027?
The basic concept remains essentially the same. From 1 June 2027, the new Code of the Public Road defines a lane as each part of a roadway divided longitudinally by one or more white continuous or broken lines.
