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Difficulty: MediumSafe and Courteous Overtaking

You are following a long goods vehicle on a two-way road and intend to overtake. Why should you drop back and maintain a generous following distance before starting the manoeuvre?

  1. A
    It allows you to accelerate quickly while remaining hidden in the lorry driver's blind spot
  2. It provides you with a clearer, wider view of the road ahead and oncoming hazardsAnswer
  3. C
    It signals the lorry driver to flash their headlights to indicate when it is safe to proceed
  4. D
    It lets you concentrate exclusively on the rear of the lorry rather than scanning further up the road

Answer

It provides you with a clearer, wider view of the road ahead and oncoming hazards.
Keeping well back from a large vehicle expands your field of vision, giving you a clear view of oncoming traffic, bends, dips, and road signs before committing to overtake.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess how following a large vehicle closely restricts driver visibility.
Large vehicles block the forward line of sight, hiding oncoming vehicles, road markings, dips, and junctions.
Understanding sightline obstruction is critical before initiating an overtaking routine.
2
Determine the safety benefit of increasing following separation prior to overtaking.
Dropping back increases the viewing angle past both sides of the vehicle, allowing earlier hazard detection and a safer passing decision.
The Highway Code advises staying well back from large vehicles to improve forward visibility before pulling out.

Key Concept

Maintaining a generous following distance behind large vehicles to maximise forward view before overtaking.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Safe and Courteous Overtaking

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