You can generally travel up to about 100 metres in a T3 lane to overtake a vehicle that is turning right, as long as it is safe and you return to your proper lane as soon as practical.

What a T3 lane is

  • A T3 lane is a transit lane reserved mainly for vehicles with three or more occupants, plus certain exempt vehicles like buses and taxis, depending on the jurisdiction.
  • If you do not meet those occupancy or vehicle rules, you are usually only allowed to enter the lane for short, specific manoeuvres such as overtaking, turning, or joining/leaving the road.

The 100 metre rule

  • Multiple road-rule explanations and driver guides state that drivers who are not entitled to use a T3 lane continuously may enter it for up to 100 metres to overtake a vehicle turning right or making a U‑turn, or to enter/leave the road.
  • This 100 m allowance is intended to keep traffic flowing while still preserving the T3 lane primarily for eligible vehicles.

Safety and local variations

  • You must only move into the T3 lane to overtake if it is safe: check mirrors, blind spots, signals, and give way to vehicles already in the T3 lane.
  • Traffic rules can vary slightly between Australian states and other countries, so the exact distance and conditions can differ; local road authority handbooks or official websites should always be treated as the final word for your area.

Forum-style quick scoop

If you’re stuck behind a right‑turner and there’s a T3 lane on the left, most current explanations say you can “duck into” that lane for about 100 m to get past, then merge back in once you’re clear.

Think of it as a short exception to keep traffic moving, not a shortcut to sit in the T3 lane when you don’t qualify.