Driving Tips - Overtaking
Guidance reviewed: 25 September 2026. Use these prompts with professional instruction and the handbook for the vehicle you drive.
Accelerator
Anticipation
Approaching Junctions
Brake
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Clutch
Crossing Other Traffic
Crossroads
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Exterior Mirrors
Gear Lever
Gears
General
Handbrake
Head Restraint
Indicators
Interior Mirror
Making Progress
Meeting Approaching Traffic
Mirrors
Moving Away
Moving Off
Overtaking
Pedestrian Crossings
Reverse Parking
Reversing
Road Positioning
Safe Distance
Safety Routine
Seat
Seat Belts
Signals
Steering
Steering Wheel
Stopping
T-Junctions
The Engine
Turning the Car Around
Practical Driving Test Tips — Overtaking
| Problem | Reason | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| You begin without a clear view | The need to overtake has been allowed to outweigh the available information. | Do not overtake unless the road ahead is sufficiently clear, nobody is overtaking you and there is a safe gap to return to. |
| You cut in after passing | The return to the left is started too soon. | Move back only when you can do so without affecting the person or vehicle passed, maintaining a safe and steady course. |
| You pass a cyclist, horse rider or pedestrian too closely | The extra space required by vulnerable road users has been underestimated. | Wait until you can give the Highway Code clearance at a low speed. If that space is unavailable, stay behind. |