Under what circumstances is overtaking not allowed?
3 Answers
According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China", overtaking is prohibited under the following circumstances: The "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates: Article 43 - When motor vehicles are driving in the same lane, the following vehicle should maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead sufficient to take emergency braking measures. Overtaking is not allowed under any of the following circumstances: when the vehicle ahead is making a left turn, performing a U-turn, or overtaking another vehicle; when there is a possibility of encountering oncoming traffic; when the vehicle ahead is a police car, fire truck, ambulance, or engineering rescue vehicle performing emergency duties; or when passing through sections where overtaking is not feasible, such as railway crossings, intersections, narrow bridges, curves, steep slopes, tunnels, pedestrian crossings, or urban areas with heavy traffic flow.
After driving heavy trucks for 20 years, I've summarized some life-saving tips: Never overtake when the vehicle ahead is turning or making a U-turn – they simply can't react in time if you suddenly cut in. Don't overtake on curves or hilltops either – last time I almost had an accident on a mountain road curve when an SUV suddenly appeared from the opposite direction, scraping off my side mirror. Overtaking in rain or fog with visibility below 50 meters is gambling with your life – tire slippage and loss of steering control can happen in an instant. Slow down early when approaching crosswalks at intersections – accelerating to overtake here and hitting pedestrians would make you fully liable. The most dangerous is encountering ambulances or fire trucks – two years ago my colleague insisted on overtaking an emergency vehicle and got his license revoked immediately. Nowadays when I see construction trucks or tankers ahead, I just follow patiently – who knows when they might drop parts. Overtaking in tunnels is literally betting your life on luck – I witnessed a pile-up in Qinling Tunnel last time. Remember these hard-learned lessons – don't ruin your life just to save a few minutes.
Last week's drive back to my hometown taught me the taboos of overtaking: when the car in front noticeably slows down and turns on the indicator, there's an 80% chance it's about to turn or make a U-turn. Attempting to overtake at this moment is like walking into a trap. Driving on rural roads requires extra vigilance—what appears to be a straight road can suddenly turn into a series of sharp bends, with cornfields blocking the view of oncoming traffic. Overtaking on the highway during a heavy rainstorm is the most terrifying; even with the wipers on the fastest setting, the windshield remains blurry, and the spray from large trucks can instantly blind you. When passing through school zones, ease off the accelerator at the sight of speed limit signs—kids darting out unexpectedly can make braking impossible. Last month on the highway, I encountered a convoy of rescue vehicles—dozens of engineering trucks moving in formation. Overtaking the lead vehicle might be easy, but getting stuck in the middle of the convoy is pure despair. And attempting to overtake at dusk with the sun in your eyes, when you can barely see the outline of the car ahead, is like treating the steering wheel as a gambling table. Now I've developed a habit: before overtaking, I always check the rearview mirror to ensure no car is tailgating too closely.
