There are times when driving that you may want to pass another vehicle. There are many different circumstances and reasons as to why a driver may need to pass the vehicle in front of them. While passing is legal if done the right way, you always want to make sure that you are passing in a way that ensures not only your safety, but the safety of drivers around you.
First and foremost, when is it ok to pass another vehicle and when is it not ok?
If the road you are traveling on has double yellow lines, this means that it is not ok to pass. This is considered a no passing zone. Double yellow lines on the road are an indicator that isn’t not safe to pass. There could be a sharp curve in the road or a hill present that makes it impossible for a driver to see oncoming vehicles.
If the road has broken yellow lines painted in the center, this means that cars are able to pass safely in both directions. You must still use caution when passing, as oncoming vehicles could be present.
There are certain designated areas where passing another vehicle is not permitted, such as school zones and marked construction areas. These areas are simply too congested with pedestrians to have vehicle’s passing other vehicles safely.
So how do you pass a vehicle safely?
First, never pass a vehicle if visibility is poor. If you are unable to see down the roadway, never take a chance and pass. It’s simply too risky and it could put you and others in harm’s way.
Before you take the step of moving into the other lane to pass the vehicle in front of you, make sure that you are following that vehicle at a safe distance. Always check your mirrors before moving into the other lane. You want to make sure that there are no other vehicle’s trying to pass at the same time you are.
Next, check the passing lane and make sure that you can see far down the road and that there are no oncoming vehicles. Once everything is clear, pull out in the passing lane and accelerate, but don’t go over the posted speed limit as that can result in a traffic violation.
Once you are past the vehicle you are passing, check your rearview mirrors and make sure that you can see the front bumper of the vehicle you just passed. Once you have passed the vehicle completely, merge back over into the right lane and proceed driving and maintaining the posted speed limit.
If you are passing a larger vehicle, such as a tractor trailer, you must use extra caution and make sure that you have enough time to pass. Only pass a vehicle if you are 100% sure that you can do it safely, there are no second chances and you don’t ever want to put yourself in a situation where there is a vehicle coming at you head on and you have no place to safely go. Always anticipate the unexpected.
Passing in hazardous weather conditions is also never a good idea. In order to pass you must accelerate and accelerating in snowy, icy or rainy conditions is simply not safe to do.
