Overtaking Rules | Coconote

Overview

This lesson explains the legal and safety rules regarding overtaking on the left as well as possible exceptions on the right.

Overtaking on the left is allowed if the vehicle ahead is moving below the maximum authorized speed and is in motion.
If the vehicle is stopped or parked, it is considered a bypass, not an overtaking.
Before overtaking, check the speed of the vehicle ahead, the possibility to overtake quickly, the absence of oncoming and rear vehicles, the space to merge back, and signals/rules prohibiting overtaking.
Only overtake one vehicle at a time, and you must merge back to the right after each overtaking except in special cases (one-way or three lanes).

Use the left turn signal before overtaking, check mirrors and blind spot.
Turn off the signal once on the left, overtake quickly, turn on the right turn signal to merge back.
In urban areas, maintain a 1 meter lateral distance from pedestrians, cyclists, or mopeds; outside urban areas, the distance is 1.5 meters.

Allowed if the vehicle ahead is turning left and has already moved to the left.
Trams are overtaken on the right, or on the left if the right is impossible or if the tracks are on the right side of the road.

In traffic jams, when one lane moves faster than another, it is not considered overtaking.
When directional signals require lane choice according to destination, overtaking rules do not apply before these signals.
In urban areas, you may choose the appropriate lane according to destination on one-way roads or roads with four or more lanes.

Motorcycles may travel between lanes, but only between the two leftmost lanes on highways and at limited speeds (<50 km/h and only 20 km/h faster than the overtaken cars).

Overtaking — The action of passing a moving vehicle on the left.
Bypass — Passing in front of a stopped or parked vehicle considered an obstacle.
Lateral distance — Minimum space to leave when overtaking pedestrians, cyclists, or mopeds: 1 meter in town, 1.5 meters outside town.