Slovenia introduces new ban on HGVs overtaking on A1 motorway

Starting January 15th a daily ban on overtaking is being put in place for all vehicles whose maximum permissible weight exceeds 7,5 tonnes on the A1 motorway between Koper and Šentilj in both directions, daily between 6 am and 6 pm.

The intention of the ban is to insure a greater flow of traffic, improved traffic safety and also less anxiety among drivers.

Heavy goods vehicles will no longer be slowing down traffic. The left lane is used for overtaking and right lane is for driving!

This means that in the case of an accident, all heavy goods vehicles will be in the right lane and the rest of the traffic on the left lane(s). As a result, the formation of a rescue lane and interventional removal of vehicles when necessary will be much easier. If an incident would cause a total road closure, reopening of the MW or EW for all vehicles would therefore be quicker. In cases of serious traffic accidents, heavy vehicles will be kept in the right lane and cars will be diverted to parallel roads.

Heavy vehicles will no longer slow down the flow of traffic in the overtaking lane and we will continue to warn other vehicles to drive right and overtake left (also as part of our awareness campaign through the gantries above the motorway). This also means that heavy vehicles in the right lane must respect the prescribed safety distance. It will also make it easier to position vehicles and thus ameliorate the traffic flow before roadblocks and border crossings.

However, it should be emphasized that this restriction is not completely new, as individual sections of the A1 and A2 motorways already have a ban on heavy vehicles overtaking. On some sections it is in force during the morning and afternoon rush hours, while on others it may apply 24 hours a day.

Source: promet.si