Very few drivers respect this rule in force on the highways. It therefore seems good to recall this ban which is otherwise rarely sanctioned.
The rules of the highway code are so numerous and complex that we tend to forget them over the years. Everyone develops their own driving habits and these can turn out to be dangerous in many situations. So would we be able to do it flawlessly if we had to retake our driving test? Not so sure ! Moreover, certain prohibitions are not always respected, even though the highway code is very clear on the subject. This is particularly the case of article R.412-9 which clearly specifies that in “normal driving, all drivers must keep their vehicle close to the right edge of the roadway”.
On the highway, motorists must therefore stay on the right, the left lane being intended for those who want to overtake and who drive faster (while respecting the authorized speed limit). But when there are three lanes on the highway, are you allowed to drive in the middle lane? This allows cars to enter the highway more easily than if they were driving on the right… But this lane should not be the preferred lane throughout the road.
Concretely, you can only drive in the middle lane if you are overtaking another vehicle. Driving on this lane is of course authorized when traffic is heavy or when you want to turn to the left to allow cars to enter the highway more easily. As long as you turn to the right as soon as you can. Prolonged driving in the middle lane, without reason, is therefore prohibited.
In the event of a traffic violation, you risk a fixed fine of 35 euros (or 22 euros if you pay within 15 days or 30 days if you pay the fine online). No point removal is applied. However, this practice is rarely sanctioned by the police, because it is always difficult to prove that there were no particular reasons for driving in the middle lane, to overtake a motorist for example.