Why is it prohibited to overtake when the vehicle ahead is making a left turn?
2 Answers
Because the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates that overtaking must be done from the left side. If a following vehicle overtakes while the vehicle ahead is making a left turn, it may cause a traffic accident. Therefore, overtaking is prohibited when the vehicle ahead is making a left turn. Below is additional information: The "Procedures for Handling Road Traffic Safety Violations" stipulates: 1. Article 6: Decisions on penalties such as warnings, fines, or temporary suspension of motor vehicle driving licenses shall be made by the traffic management departments of public security organs at or above the county level. Decisions on penalties involving revocation of motor vehicle driving licenses shall be made by the traffic management departments of public security organs in cities with districts. 2. Article 40: For minor violations that do not affect road traffic or safety, traffic police may verbally inform the violator of the basic facts and legal basis of the violation, issue an oral warning, and release the violator after correcting the violation. 3. Article 54: If a violator is subject to administrative detention and a fine, the traffic management department of the public security organ shall inform the violator that they may authorize another person to pay the fine on their behalf.
As a truck driver with twenty years of experience on the road, I deeply understand the importance of driving safety. When the car in front is making a left turn, you must never attempt to overtake—it’s practically a life-threatening move. Turning vehicles usually slow down to prepare for the intersection, and if you accelerate to pass them at this moment, you might end up driving straight into the opposite lane and colliding with oncoming traffic. The consequences would be unthinkable. I’ve personally witnessed such a tragedy where a novice driver, trying to save time by overtaking a turning vehicle, caused a chain collision that injured several people. Additionally, pedestrians or cyclists often appear at turning points, and your line of sight may be blocked, making it impossible to detect dangers in advance. Safety comes first—be patient and wait until the car completes its turn before taking action. Don’t risk everything for a moment of haste. The goal of driving is to arrive home safely.
