How to Avoid Trouble When Passing on the Highway

How often does passing on the highway end badly? You hear the squeal of brakes and the screech of metal, and the result is wrecked cars and sometimes injured people. But if you pass the right way, you can avoid all of it. What should you keep in mind when you decide to pass the vehicle ahead? First, assess the situation on the road. Will your maneuver put other vehicles at risk? Is your speed sufficient to complete the pass? How fast is the oncoming car in the opposite lane, even if it looks like it is still far away? Experienced drivers usually judge these things instantly and accurately. For beginners it is harder, and it takes practice. So how can a new driver develop a good eye for distance? Practice in calm conditions, when you are cruising along the highway with no plan to pass. Naturally, don't take your eyes off the road to look at a watch or stopwatch. Use a simple mental count instead. When a car approaches in the opposite lane, guess at what count it will draw level with you, say, 8, and start counting silently: 1, 2... 8. Did the car draw level with you? Great. If not, keep practicing. Over time your judgment will improve, and you will be able to tell fairly precisely how many seconds it will take for your cars to meet. Is that enough time to complete a pass? Next, work out how fast the car ahead is going. It should be slower than you, and the bigger the difference the better, for example 10 or 15 km/h (6 or 9 mph). It's easy to figure this out by following it for a while at a steady distance. Estimate by how many km/h you can raise your speed to make the pass. Drop back from the car ahead so you have room to accelerate, and begin accelerating only while still in your own lane. Otherwise you put yourself at risk, because your speed will be too low for an effective pass, and your view will be limited, which can keep you from judging the road correctly. Check whether there is room ahead of the car you are passing to finish the maneuver without cutting it off. Or are several cars traveling in a solid stream? In that case you may not have enough time to pass. Make sure the car ahead isn't planning to turn, and that the car behind you hasn't started to pass. Passing large vehicles, such as heavy trucks or long buses, deserves a separate mention. Make sure the driver of the vehicle you are passing can see you. To check, look at the side mirror of the vehicle ahead. If you can see the driver, the driver can see you. Suppose you misjudged the situation, started the pass, and realized you can't finish it, even though you are already halfway along the vehicle. It is still better to complete the pass than to try to go back. The driver of the vehicle you are passing will help by easing off the throttle and giving you the chance to finish. If you also try to return to your original position, a collision becomes unavoidable. Also flash your headlights at the oncoming driver so they slow down or move aside, leaving you room and time to complete the maneuver. While passing, keep an eye on what the other road users are doing. Watch the hands of the oncoming driver, and use your mirror to watch the driver behind you. If you can't make out what that driver is doing in the mirror, watch the front wheel on that side instead. That way you won't miss maneuvers by these cars, for example swerving around a pothole. Think it's impossible to keep track of everything? With a little practice, it becomes automatic and gives you confidence on the road. So when you plan a pass, make sure it is safe at every stage: the acceleration, the move into the oncoming lane (the pass itself), and the return to your lane. Remember that even an experienced driver needs several seconds, sometimes 8-10 or more, to react to a hazard, and an inexperienced driver may simply freeze. So calculate the time and distance you need to finish the pass without cutting off the vehicle you are passing. Estimate the gap between you and the vehicle ahead, as well as the closing speed. Make sure the oncoming lane is clear for a sufficient distance. And of course, don't pass where it is prohibited. Warning and prohibition signs don't appear for no reason. They mean that stretch of road holds some kind of danger. Drivers, look after your own safety and don't put other road users at risk. That way you protect your life and the lives of others. Safe travels and clear roads!