Which Light to Use When Overtaking?

[Joanna]

Overtaking requires turning on the right turn signal. Here are some precautions for overtaking: 1. Pay attention to road conditions: When overtaking, it is essential to be mindful of the road conditions. Avoid overtaking on curves, especially when the vehicle ahead is a large truck. Large trucks have significant inner wheel differentials, and their drivers often have limited visibility. Therefore, when overtaking a large truck, make sure to use the right turn signal and maintain a sufficiently high speed to avoid prolonged parallel driving. 2. Rainy or foggy weather: Overtaking is also not advisable in rainy or foggy conditions due to very low visibility. It can be extremely dangerous to overtake when the road ahead is unclear.

[SanLena]

Seeing a slow-moving car ahead and thinking about overtaking? Don't rush to swerve abruptly—safety first! Before overtaking, you must turn on the left turn signal to alert all surrounding vehicles: 'I'm changing lanes to pass.' Don’t think you can skip the signal at night—no matter how dark it is, that left turn signal must flash. After signaling for 2-3 seconds, decisively accelerate to overtake. The worst thing is hesitating and suddenly changing lanes. After passing, don’t rush to merge back—remember to activate the right turn signal before steering back into your original lane. On sharp curves or steep hills with poor visibility, honk twice along with using your lights—lights and horns are the most direct ways to communicate on the road.

[SanIsabel]

Remember the night overtaking procedure: First, turn on the left turn signal and check the rearview mirror to confirm a safe distance. Second, briefly press the high beam switch twice (don't move the high beam lever, just flash the lights twice) to alert the vehicle ahead. Third, decisively accelerate to complete the overtaking. Never rush—avoid driving side by side for too long during overtaking. Only after completely passing the vehicle ahead and straightening your car, turn on the right turn signal, check the rearview mirror for safety, and smoothly return to the original lane. Throughout the process, use your lights like signal flares so both the front and rear vehicles understand your intentions.

[Ellen]

The standard overtaking procedure is quite simple – signal left, check the rearview mirror, then accelerate to pass. On urban roads, pay special attention to flashing your left turn signal at least 5 times before changing lanes, as following drivers can easily get distracted in traffic jams. When overtaking large trucks on national highways, exercise extra caution – besides using your turn signal, it's best to flash your high beams twice in advance to alert the other driver. Remember not to steer back too sharply after overtaking; wait until your vehicle is fully straightened before signaling right to return to your lane. Some novice drivers only press the accelerator without signaling when overtaking, leaving following vehicles completely unable to anticipate their move, which is particularly prone to causing accidents.

[LeGia]

During driving tests, instructors repeatedly emphasize: Always turn on the left turn signal before overtaking! This isn't just a rule—it's a clear signal to the driver ahead in their rearview mirror. I've seen too many drivers honk without signaling when overtaking, leaving the front car clueless about where the sound is coming from. It's best to keep the turn signal on throughout the overtaking maneuver; don't turn it off immediately after changing lanes. Once overtaking is complete, immediately prepare to activate the right turn signal, and only smoothly change lanes when you can see the entire front of the overtaken vehicle in your rearview mirror. Turn signals are the language of driving—more precise than honking.

[GavinMarie]

Here’s an overtaking mantra: Signal left for three seconds, accelerate without hesitation; straighten the car after passing, then signal right to return. Special reminder for friends driving on highways at night: besides turning on the left turn signal before overtaking, it’s recommended to use high-low beam switching to supplement lighting, making sure the car ahead notices you. When encountering long trailers, allow double the overtaking time—trailers have large blind spots and require more light warnings. Overtaking in the rain requires turning on lights even earlier, as the sound of wipers can drown out the horn. Remember not to slow down immediately after overtaking; maintain a safe distance before returning to the original lane, and ensure the lights continuously communicate your intentions throughout the process.