Which side to overtake when driving?
3 Answers
In regions where driving is on the right, the overtaking lane is the left lane; in regions where driving is on the left, the overtaking lane is the right lane. When overtaking, avoid hesitation. Seize the opportunity to pass quickly without affecting traffic. According to regulations: "overtaking on the right" while driving a motor vehicle will result in a 3-point penalty and a fine of up to 200 yuan. Additional information: 1. Overtaking refers to a vehicle moving to the side of another vehicle and passing it from behind while traveling in the same direction. The lane typically used for overtaking is the inner lane, which is closer to the center of the road and farther from the shoulder. In regions where driving is on the right, the overtaking lane is the left lane; in regions where driving is on the left, the overtaking lane is the right lane. 2. Reasons why overtaking on the right is prohibited: The main danger of overtaking on the right is the blind spot of left-hand drive vehicles. For left-hand drive vehicles, the blind spot on the driver's right side is larger, and visibility is significantly limited. Drivers can easily overlook vehicles in this position. If the vehicle being overtaken fails to notice the violating vehicle on the right in time and changes lanes to the right, it can easily collide with the vehicle that is "overtaking on the right."
I've been driving long-haul trucks for over a decade, and overtaking requires extra caution. You must pass on the left – that's a strict traffic rule. Before overtaking, I always check the rearview mirror to confirm no vehicles are approaching rapidly from behind, then signal left to alert the vehicle ahead, and finally accelerate at the right moment to complete the pass. Remember to maintain sufficient safe distance after overtaking before merging back – once I encountered a novice trying to pass on the right who nearly scraped the guardrail, which was extremely dangerous. During rainy days, be extra cautious about hydroplaning when overtaking – leave at least half a car length more space than usual.
During the driving test, the instructor repeatedly emphasized overtaking from the left side because the driver's seat is on the left, providing better visibility. Now, after driving for five or six years myself, I've noticed that some old residential areas have very narrow one-way streets where there's not enough space to overtake from the left, so I can only follow slowly. On national highways with many large vehicles, I usually wait for straight sections with good visibility to overtake. When overtaking a semi-trailer, I flash my high beams twice in advance to alert the other driver. Once, I saw a car forcefully overtaking a large truck from the right side and ended up being squeezed into the roadside ditch by the truck's blind spot, which gave me a cold sweat.
