Tips for Safe Overtaking

When you make the decision to overtake, it is worth bearing in mind, this may be the last decision you will ever make. For this reason it is essential that you get it right first time, every time.

• 1.  Overtaking should always be done from the right side for right hand wheel drive. If the vehicle in front flashes the signal for right turn, you can overtake from the  left.

• 2. Before embarking on the manoeuvre, evaluate the distance and speed of the car in front.

• 3. Also evaluate the hazards that could exist and prove to be threatening.

• 4. Never overtake in blind areas such as bends in roads, corners, near junctions,  crossroads, and intersections. In such areas, the driver of the vehicle ahead is not   able to have a clear vision of what is behind and passing which may eventually result  in an accident.

• 5. Place the car on the lowest possible gear depending on the speed of your car. This  does not mean that if you are already driving at a speed of 80 km/h, you will have to lower down to the 1st gear. Reduce gears to slow down your car for safe overtaking.

• 6. While overtaking, make sure that you maintain a safe distance with the vehicle ahead.  This will help you drive your car in flow with the moving traffic.

• 7. Fast acceleration and unnecessary speeding is dangerous just before overtaking. If in  case you do accelerate, the distance required for safe overtaking reduces rapidly and could result in an accident.

• 8. You can either flash your car’s headlight or blow the horn to draw attention to your intention to overtake. This will help the drivers ahead and behind you know that you are attempting to overtake.

• 9. Try and make eye contact with the driver of the car you are passing. This ensures that  the driver of the vehicle ahead has seen you and is sure that you are going past.

• 10. The vehicle behind you may also overtake at the same time that you are. Stay alert to this and be cautious. Give clear indications of your plan to driver of the vehicle  behind you.

• 11. After overtaking, move to the centre of the road and then accelerate as fast as you can to maintain the speed and distance differential.

• 12. Constantly keep an eye on passing vehicles and try to merge with the flowing traffic rather than spacing yourself away from it.

• 13. Overtaking on crowded and busy city roads is dangerous due to numerous signals that  are exchanged by drivers. Traffic congestion and different sized vehicles add to the  problem. In such cases, avoid overtaking as far as possible and enjoy a slow and safe   drive.

• 14. When being overtaken yourself and in case there are approaching vehicles, be sure to   slow down a little to let the other driver pass by safely.

• 15. Safe overtaking methods will prevent a number of road accidents which are not uncommon on Indian roads.