Passing normally happens on the left. On a two-lane road, though, a driver who is slowing or stopped to turn left may be passed on the right, provided there is enough paved road and you do not drive onto the shoulder.
Once both headlights of the car you overtook appear in your rearview mirror, there is usually enough space to pull back in. Merely losing sight of the car, or just clearing its front bumper, leaves too little room.
Let the passing driver complete the maneuver by keeping a steady course and speed, slowing a little if that helps. Once the other car is safely back in front of you, return to your usual speed.
Tip Accelerating while someone is overtaking you can trap that driver in the oncoming or adjacent lane.
Slowing slightly opens a gap in front of you, so the passing driver spends less time in the passing lane and can pull back in easily. Speeding up or blocking the pass creates a serious risk of a crash.
With a single lane in each direction, the only way past a slower vehicle is through the oncoming lane. Start the pass only if the road is clear far enough ahead for you to finish and pull back in well before approaching traffic arrives.
A car stopped at a crosswalk may be blocking your view of a pedestrian, so passing it is never allowed. Going around a left-turning vehicle or using the other lane of a one-way street can be legal when done safely.
Signaling well ahead of time gives other drivers a chance to notice your lane change and react to it. A signal given at the last second, or after you have already moved over, warns no one.
The normal rule is to overtake on the left. Before you move out, check your mirrors and blind spot, signal, and be sure the lane you are entering is open.
Tip Unless a question describes multiple lanes moving the same way, assume overtaking should happen on the left.
On a multilane road where every lane moves the same way, a driver may legally pass on the right unless signs say otherwise. That driver should still check mirrors and blind spots and signal before changing lanes.
Tip Where two or more lanes carry traffic the same way, overtaking on the right is allowed.
Of the two yellow lines, only the one nearer to you matters for your lane. If that line is broken you may pass when it is safe; if it is solid, crossing it to pass is not allowed.
Tip Only the stripe nearest your car counts; a dashed stripe there means passing is allowed when the road ahead is clear.
Mirrors do not show everything beside you, so check them and then glance over your shoulder to cover your blind spots before a lane change. Move over only when you are sure the lane is clear.
Before overtaking, check the mirrors, switch on your turn signal, and glance over your shoulder at the blind spot. Move out only when the passing lane is open, and do not rely on the other driver to tell you it is safe.
Tip A wave from the driver in front is no guarantee; make sure on your own that the lane you will use is open.
Turning on your signal does not give you the right-of-way, and the driver you are passing may speed up or close the gap. Plan the pass so you can finish it safely without depending on anyone else's help.
When a solid and a broken yellow line run side by side, each driver follows the line closest to his or her lane. If the broken line is next to your lane, passing is allowed once the oncoming lane is clear and it is safe, while drivers with the solid line on their side may not pass.
After checking that the lane you will pass in is open, switch on the correct turn signal in good time so other drivers know you are changing lanes. Hazard flashers do not signal a pass, and riding close behind the vehicle blocks your view of the road ahead.
Passing means moving into another lane, so first make sure that lane is empty, then turn on your signal so others know you are changing lanes. A signal is needed every time, no matter how light traffic is.
Once the car you overtook is visible in your inside mirror, front bumper included, you have pulled far enough ahead. Glance over your right shoulder to confirm the gap, signal, and then move back.
A car stopped to turn left leaves space on its right, so you may pass on that side if there is enough room and you stay on the paved road. A car turning right, or into a right-side driveway, would move into your path.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
