Changing lane, choosing lane, stopping
The lane-change routine, lane choice before a turn and pulling in to stop
Goal
Change lane with the full routine, choose the right lane in good time, and stop at the roadside where and how the law allows.
Animated scenarios in this lesson
Changing lane step by step
You drive in the right-hand lane of a one-way road and want to move to the left lane. A car is approaching in the left lane.
Rule: iKörkort: check the distance ahead and adjust speed; check the traffic behind in the mirrors and over the shoulder; signal and wait briefly to see how others react; check the blind spot again; change lane calmly but firmly, without jerky steering. Trafiko: “look, signal, lane”. 3 kap. 43 §: only without danger or unnecessary hindrance. 3 kap. 9 §: no lane change across a solid line.
Do this: Check the mirrors, signal, look over your shoulder, wait while the car passes, then move over smoothly when the gap is clear and cancel the signal.
Not this: Signalling and moving at once without the shoulder look, into a car in the blind spot.
Choose your lane early
A junction is ahead and you will turn right. You are in the left-hand lane of a one-way road with a van in the right-hand lane.
Rule: 3 kap. 7 §: keep to the rightmost lane that is meant for your vehicle; on a road with a limit of 70 km/h or lower and two or more marked lanes in your direction you may use the lane most suitable for your onward journey. 3 kap. 9 §: in that case you may change lane only to stop or park, overtake, or position yourself in a suitable lane before turning at a junction. Trafiko: keep the car in the middle of the lane.
Do this: Choose the lane early. Check, signal, look over your shoulder, move in behind the van with room, slow down, signal again and turn from the right-hand lane.
Not this: Staying in the wrong lane and cutting across at the last moment, in front of traffic beside you.
Pulling in to stop
You want to stop at the right-hand kerb. A cyclist is coming up behind you.
Rule: 3 kap. 43 §: starting, changing lane or moving sideways, and also stopping or suddenly slowing down, only without danger or unnecessary hindrance. 3 kap. 52 §: stop and park only on the right-hand side in the direction of travel (the left side is also allowed on one-way roads), as far from the middle of the road as possible and along the road. 3 kap. 31 §: cyclists and moped riders may overtake other vehicles on the right.
Do this: Check the mirrors, signal right in good time, look to the right, let the cyclist pass, slow down and pull in smoothly. Stop parallel to the kerb and close to it, then cancel the signal.
Not this: Pulling in without a last look to the right, so a passing cyclist is squeezed.
The lane-change routine
1. Check the distance ahead and adjust your speed (iKörkort).
2. Check the traffic behind in the inner and side mirrors and over the shoulder.
3. Signal and wait briefly to see how others react.
4. Check the blind spot again.
5. Change lane calmly but firmly, without jerky steering.
6. Switch the signal off. If the gap behind you is short you may speed up a little (iKörkort).
Trafiko’s memory aid for the same thing is “look, signal, lane”.
Who is responsible
The driver who changes lane has the main responsibility that it can be done without danger or unnecessary hindrance (iKörkort; 3 kap. 43 §).
A driver who notices that another driver intends to enter their lane must adapt their speed to make it easier (3 kap. 43 §, second paragraph).
Change lane only when it is clear (Trafiko).
Do not change lane across a solid line (3 kap. 9 §). If lanes are separated by a marking, the whole vehicle is driven within one of them.
Which lane to use
Main rule: the rightmost lane that is meant for your vehicle and leads where you are going (3 kap. 7 §; Trafiko).
On a road with a limit of 70 km/h or lower and two or more marked lanes in your direction, you may use the lane most suitable for your onward journey. You may then change lane only to stop or park, overtake, or position yourself before a turn at a junction (3 kap. 7 and 9 §§).
On a carriageway with four or more lanes you may not use the lanes left of the middle; with three lanes not the leftmost. This does not apply on one-way roads (3 kap. 8 §).
If a lane is reserved for certain vehicles, others may enter it only to cross it (3 kap. 10 §).
In dense queues in all lanes only the driver in the rightmost lane may change lane, except someone who will stop or park or needs another lane to be correctly placed approaching a junction (3 kap. 9 §).
Keep the car in the middle of the lane (Trafiko).
Position before a turn
Before a right turn, place the car near the right edge (Trafiko, iKörkort).
Before a left turn, place it as near the left edge of your lane as possible (iKörkort).
Choose lane and position early so that others understand what you will do (iKörkort).
Stopping at the roadside
Stop and park on the right-hand side in the direction of travel, as far from the middle of the road as possible and along the road. On one-way roads the left side is also allowed (3 kap. 52 §).
Not where danger arises or traffic is unnecessarily hindered, and not so that signs or signals are hidden (3 kap. 47 §).
Pulling in is a sideways move: check, signal right, look right and pull in only without danger or unnecessary hindrance. This also applies when you stop or suddenly slow down (3 kap. 43 §).
Cyclists and moped riders may overtake other vehicles on the right (3 kap. 31 §): expect one beside you.
Stopping and parking are forbidden within 10 m before a crossing and in other places: see lesson 6 (3 kap. 53 §).
When the car has stopped, make sure it cannot move by itself, and do not open a door so that danger arises (3 kap. 50 §).
Key numbers
- 3 kap. 7 §: Rightmost suitable lane; up to 70 km/h with two or more lanes you may use the suitable lane
- 3 kap. 9 §: Whole car inside one lane; no lane change across a solid line
- 3 kap. 43 §: Starting, lane change, moving sideways, stopping: only without danger or unnecessary hindrance
- 3 kap. 52 §: Stop on the right side, as far from the middle as possible, along the road
Common mistakes
- Checking the blind spot only once: iKörkort says check it again after you have signalled.
- Changing lane on a 70 km/h road just because it feels faster: it is allowed only for stopping or parking, overtaking, or positioning for a turn.
- Crossing a solid line to change lane is not allowed.
- Cutting across at the last moment because you are in the wrong lane at a junction.
- Forgetting that a cyclist can legally pass on the right of a car that is pulling in.
Sources
- Trafikförordningen (1998:1276), consolidated text: Chapters 2–4: care, the rules for driving and the rules for motor vehicles; the paragraphs cited in the text
- Trafiko: Att välja körfält och göra körfältsbyte: Lane choice, mirrors, blind spot, signal, solid lines
- iKörkort: Hur byter man körfält på rätt sätt?: Lane change step by step: check, signal and wait, check the blind spot again, change
- iKörkort: Placering och körfältsval: Position before turns; the lane changer carries the main responsibility
- Trafiko: Överblick och tips: Order of the checks, looking ahead, distance
Facts checked against sources on 2026-10-02.
Lesson 2: Lanes · Lesson 6: Stopping & Parking · Lesson 21: Distances