You Can Overtake Safely If You Follow These Rules.

                              

Overtaking refers to the act of moving past something or someone that is travelling in the same direction as you. It is commonly used in the context of driving, where a vehicle maneuvers past another vehicle, horse, motorcycle or bicycle travelling in front of it.

According to statistics, wrong overtaking is responsible for about 45% of all crashes. And so much lives have been lost in most of these crashes. Careless overtaking and poor judgment combine to cause road traffic accidents.

Hence, for a Driver to overtake safely, he or she must know and abide by the rules of overtaking in general. Below are the dos and don’ts of overtaking.

Before Overtaking  

Check if you should overtake at that point. Overtaking is actually prohibited at some points or areas. Check if there is:

• Good visibility. Poor weather conditions like rain or fog can obscure your view. You can neither see an oncoming vehicle or any possible barrier nor be seen. Do not overtake in such condition. You should also not overtake with the judgement of others. Do not follow overtaking Drivers if you don’t have a personal vision and knowledge of the situation ahead.
• A pedestrian crossing, a bus station, a road junction, a corner or a bend, a narrow bridge and where the road narrows.
• A level crossing, the crest of a hill. Doing so will force an oncoming vehicle to swerve or brake suddenly if he can help it.
• Double solid white lines. If overtaking at a particular point will make you cross such lines, please do not proceed.
• A ‘NO OVERTAKING sign

. Signal your intention to overtake for at least 3 seconds before changing lanes. At this point, you want to remember the LOOK-SIGNAL-LOOK again and move routine (“LSLM’)o

signal your intention to overtake before you proceed

. Check your mirrors and blind spots to make sure the lane ahead is clear. Blind spots are areas that do not reflect in your mirrors. Be sure they are very clear before you proceed.

. Ensure there is enough space ahead of you to overtake safely.

While Overtaking

. Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle you are overtaking.

. Your overtaking should only be done on the left except on the following conditions:

1. When the Driver in front of you is turning left and has signaled his intention to do so. He may also change his mind even when he had signaled, so it is important for you to sound a warning (horn) before overtaking.
2. If you want to turn right at a junction and have signaled to do so.
3. When the traffic is moving slowly in queues and vehicles in the left lane are moving slower than you are.
4. If vehicles may pass on either sides as in a one-way street or road.

. overtake decisively and smoothly. Avoid accelerating sharply or cutting in between lanes. Move as quickly as possible and leave plenty of room before moving back to the right side of the road.

Overtake from right if the car in front of you is turning left

After Overtaking

. Signal your intention to return to your lane before moving back. Let the vehicle you have just overtaken know that you are done overtaking and want to move back to your lane.

. Check your mirrors again and blind spot before moving back in.

. Maintain safe distance from the overtaken vehicle.

On Being Overtaken

You need to remember that safety should be everybody’s business. This not when you should accelerate. Slow down if necessary, to help and let the overtaking vehicles pass. Never compete for speed supremacy with other vehicles. Do not gamble with your life and the lives of others.

Overtaking Parked Vehicles

When approaching a parked vehicle or any other obstacle obstructing your own side of the road, on a two-lane road, give way to the vehicles coming towards you before you overtake.

In a situation where two vehicles are nearly double parked (a traffic offence in itself) or other impediments such as road work, potholes, or heap of garbage, obstruct both sides of the road and Drivers are approaching, the general rule is that the vehicle closer to the obstacle should go while the one further should slow down. But what if the further vehicle does not want to wait? Common sense should compel the closer Driver to allow him pass to avoid collision.

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