| The duration of our overtaking manoeuvres | | | | shifts in road height that may hide cars. Be POSITIVE |
| represents less than 0.1% of the total time we | | | | there is nothing coming! |
| spend on the road. Yet these twenty to thirty | | | | 5. Check your rear view mirror and give way to |
| seconds on the odd highway trip can actually be one | | | | those already overtaking If you've been sitting |
| of the most dangerous actions you'll ever take on | | | | behind a car for a long time and traffic has built up |
| the road. Car insurance can cover the odd dent, twist | | | | behind you, check your rear-view mirror before pulling |
| and even roll-over when it comes to your car, but it | | | | out. Someone behind you may have also seen the |
| can do nothing to replace you as a driver, or your | | | | gap. Give way to those already overtaking. |
| passengers, if your overtaking manoeuvre fails. | | | | 6. Be aware of the camber change in the road Our |
| So today we look at the steps involved to | | | | roads are usually cambered so that the centre is |
| successfully overtake, with a focus on highway | | | | slightly higher than the sides, and it can be quite |
| overtaking where you must cross into an oncoming | | | | off-putting when the usual feeling is reversed! Be |
| traffic lane in order to pass a car. | | | | aware that the camber will change, and that you'll |
| 1. Put your headlights on It's good driving practice to | | | | have to put slight leftwards pressure on the steering |
| put your headlights on as soon as you hit that 110 | | | | wheel in order to stay straight, compared to the |
| km/hr zone anyway. However, if you're going to be | | | | subtle rightwards pressure you would usually use. |
| pulling into an oncoming traffic lane, it is even more | | | | 7. Be aware of wind If you are passing a truck, wind |
| critical. | | | | can be a major factor in your safety. Wind that you |
| 2. Make sure it is legal to overtake - double and | | | | are blocked from when passing, but exposed to |
| broken lines Those double lines are there for a | | | | after getting past the bonnet of that truck can |
| reason - if the government doesn't feel that it is safe | | | | suddenly spear you off the road if it is strong |
| to overtake at a particular point, it probably | | | | enough. Try to avoid overtaking in strong wind |
| isn't.There may be a cross road coming up, or a | | | | conditions. |
| known black spot. Trust the lines! - Double white lines | | | | 8. Get up to speed before you pull out Don't pull out |
| means that neither side of the road can overtake - | | | | at your following speed and try to build speed in the |
| Double lines with a broken line on your side means | | | | wrong lane - minimize your time in the danger zone |
| that only your side of the road can overtake - | | | | by getting up to overtaking speed before you pull |
| Double lines with a broken line on the other side of | | | | out. |
| the road means only the other side can overtake - A | | | | 9. Can you speed while overtaking? The police, the |
| single broken line means you can freely overtake … | | | | road rules, and your mother will tell you that it is |
| as long as it is safe | | | | never safe to speed, even while overtaking. |
| 3. Watch out for upcoming intersections There may | | | | Common sense often tells us that rules are less than |
| be nobody approaching on the straight, but an | | | | hard and fast, and you may actually reduce your |
| overtaking manoeuvre can quickly turn into tragedy if | | | | chance of making a car insurance claim if you speed |
| somebody is turning out into the road from a side | | | | a little while overtaking. Only speed in moderation (up |
| road. Accidents happen particularly when a car is | | | | to 10 km over the limit), and be extra careful. |
| turning left into the highway, as they usually only look | | | | 10. Pull back in once you can see the other car's |
| to their right for oncoming traffic. | | | | headlights in your rearnview mirror Don't endanger |
| 4. Ensure you have enough room - watch out for | | | | the other car by pulling back in too soon - when you |
| subtle changes in road height that can hide cars | | | | see their headlights in your rear view mirror, it is safe |
| Particularly on hot days, road haze can obscure subtle | | | | to pull back in. |