Overtaking is an essential driving skill. If as a driver you lack the confidence to overtake, in situations where it would be safe to do so, you can cause long queues of slow moving traffic to build up, causing congestion and frustration among your fellow drivers.
However, overtaking is also one of the most potentially dangerous driving manoeuvres you can undertake, so every overtaking manoeuvre you do undertake requires careful judgment and a full assessment of the risks involved. Remember the golden rule:
IF YOU'RE NOT SURE IT IS SAFE TO OVERTAKE, DON'T!
Never Overtake:
where the road ahead narrows
where there are road junctions or driveways from which a vehicle could pull out in front of you
where you cannot see the road ahead to be clear i.e. when approaching a bend, the brow of a hill, a dip in the road or a hump back bridge
where traffic is queuing
at a level crossing
between the curb and a bus or tram when it is stopped
when approaching a school or pedestrian crossing
Overtaking On The Left
As a rule you will overtake on the right however there are a few occasions when you can overtake on the left.
where a vehicle is signalling to turn right
where traffic is moving slowly in queues on a multi-lane road
in a one-way street
in a lane turning left at a junction
Overtaking Large Vehicles
Overtaking a large vehicle such as a lorry or bus needs extra care and attention. Follows these guidelines.
pull back from the vehicle in order to give yourself a greater view ahead. If you get too close to the vehicle your view ahead will be limited and you may fail to see hazards such as a slow moving vehicle in front of the large vehicle.
be certain that there is enough room for you to complete the overtaking manoeuvre before you commit to overtaking. Remember it takes longer to overtake a larger vehicle.
never assume you can follow a vehicle ahead that is overtaking a long vehicle. If a problem occurs the vehicle may abort the manoeuvre and pull back in.
