Lessons menu
Road Rules Foundation
Road Signs & Markings
Speed & Stopping Distances
Load Safety
Adverse Conditions
Road Rules Foundation · Topic 5 of 6 · ~1 min read
Overtaking on the Right
Overtaking is the single most dangerous routine manoeuvre in ordinary driving: it's the one time you deliberately place yourself in the oncoming lane. This lesson gives you the complete procedure, the full list of places where the answer is simply no, the two assumptions that cause most overtaking crashes — and the honest arithmetic of how little time an overtake actually buys.
In this lesson you'll learn
- The complete step-by-step procedure for overtaking on the right — and the two techniques for executing it
- The full list of situations where overtaking is not permitted, and the exception that lets you pass on the left instead
- Why you never assume the vehicle ahead won't stop, and what to check before committing
- Why a gap that looks clear isn't confirmed clear — and how to check it properly
- Your obligations when another vehicle is overtaking you — even when their manoeuvre is illegal
- 1. The Overtaking Procedure, and the Two TechniquesExecute the complete overtaking procedure, choosing between an accelerating and a flying overtake.
- 2. When You Must Not Overtake — and the Pass-Left ExceptionApply the full list of prohibited overtaking situations, and the exceptions that permit passing on the left or overtaking two-wheelers.
- 3. Never Assume the Vehicle Ahead Won't StopCheck for the warning signs that the vehicle ahead might stop or turn before committing to an overtake.
- 4. Never Assume a Gap Is Actually ClearConfirm a gap is genuinely clear — including of smaller, faster-closing traffic — before and during an overtake.
- 5. When You're the One Being OvertakenApply your obligations when another vehicle overtakes you — including when their manoeuvre is illegal.
- 6. Is the Overtake Even Worth It?Weigh an overtake against the actual time it saves.