The Highway Code is clear about the rules surrounding safe overtaking – and with more than 5,000 vehicles recorded as overtaking on the offside when involved in reported injury collisions in 2023, you can see why those rules matter.
This is particularly important on rural roads, where bends, dips and hill brows can restrict visibility, and judging the speed of oncoming traffic can be difficult. Crucially, while overtaking, you must not break the speed limit. It is a common misconception among drivers that going over the limit is acceptable if it reduces the amount of time spent on the opposite side of the road. It isn’t.
Stay Safe
Remember, if you are caught carrying out a careless or dangerous overtake, you risk a fixed penalty, points on your licence and even being taken to court for careless or dangerous driving.
For new drivers, the stakes are particularly high. If you build up six or more penalty points within two years of passing your first driving test, your licence will be revoked.
To ensure you always stay on the right side of the law, check out our quick guide to safer overtaking:
Know Your Code
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Main image by Nano Banana Pro