In conditions of a significant reduction in speed on the roadway, will the driver of vehicle 3 drive ahead of vehicle 2?

In the picture there is a roadway with two lanes in one direction, and the left lane ends; at the narrowing, the green vehicle no. 2 is moving over from the left lane, and in the right lane there is the red no. 3, with no. 1 in front of it. When there is a significant reduction in speed on the roadway, the driver of vehicle no. 3 does not drive ahead of vehicle no. 2. The answer is: no.

The Road Traffic Act states that when there is a significant reduction in speed on a roadway with more than one lane in the same direction, and it is not possible to continue in a lane because of an obstacle or because the lane ends, the driver in the neighbouring lane must, directly before the point where the lane ends, allow one vehicle from the ending lane to move into the neighbouring lane. This is the zipper merge (jazda na suwak): vehicles from both lanes enter the narrowing alternately, one from the right, one from the left. Since vehicle no. 1 from the right lane has already gone through, it is now the turn of no. 2 from the ending left lane, and no. 3 lets it in ahead and only then goes itself. The rule applies only when there is a significant reduction in speed, that is, in a traffic jam.

Legal basis: Art. 22 para. 4a of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)