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Difficulty: MediumOvertaking Rules

You are driving at 65 mph in lane 2 of a four-lane motorway in clear, free-flowing conditions. A slower vehicle ahead in lane 3 is travelling at 55 mph, while lanes 1 and 2 ahead are unobstructed. What is the correct and legal action to take if you decide to overtake this vehicle?

  1. A
    Stay in lane 2 and pass the vehicle on the inside because your lane is clear ahead.
  2. Move across sequentially to lane 4 to overtake on the right, then return towards the left when safe.Answer
  3. C
    Flash your headlights repeatedly from behind until the driver moves across into an inside lane.
  4. D
    Steer directly across from lane 2 to lane 4 in a single diagonal manoeuvre without pausing in lane 3.

Answer

Move across sequentially to lane 4 to overtake on the right, then return towards the left when safe to do so.
Under Highway Code Rules 267 and 268, overtaking on motorways must be performed on the right. In free-flowing conditions, passing on the left is not permitted. The driver must check mirrors, assess blind spots, move across lane-by-lane to lane 4 to complete the overtake on the right, and then return towards the left-hand lane once safely ahead.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Assess the legal overtaking position
Identify that passing on the left (lane 2) is unlawful undertaking under free-flowing motorway conditions.
The Highway Code Rule 268 explicitly forbids undertaking unless traffic is queuing in slow-moving congested streams.
2
Plan a safe manoeuvre to the right
Check mirrors and blind spots to move into lane 3, then re-assess before moving into lane 4 to pass on the offside.
Each lane change requires separate observations and signalling using the Mirror-Signal-Manoeuvre routine.
3
Execute the overtake and resume lane discipline
Pass the slower vehicle safely in lane 4 and transition back towards the left-hand lane once sufficiently clear ahead.
Highway Code Rule 264 requires returning to the left-hand lane whenever the road ahead is clear.

Key Concept

Motorway overtaking side restrictions and lane discipline
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Overtaking Rules

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