Changing Your Approach To Passing

It’s likely that you understand the basics of passing another vehicle when driving. After all, it’s one of the first skills we learn in a driver education course and it’s something, as drivers, that we’re doing constantly when on the road. Things like signaling your intentions prior to making the pass as well as when you return to your original lane and making sure you can see both headlights of the car you’re passing in your rearview mirror to know when you can return to that lane are just a few of the standard techniques that nearly all drivers understand.

However, there are certain driving conditions when you need to alter your approach to passing and maybe consider not passing at all. While there might be signs that tell you to stay in your lane anyway, when driving in areas that are under construction, it’s generally a good idea to keep your passing to a minimum. This is especially true when the lanes are particularly narrow and there are workers present.

When the weather is poor and visibility has been lowered, you’ll want to take extra caution when passing. Whether it’s fog, snow, rain or some combination, it’s best if you give yourself more space when making the pass, both before and after getting around the other vehicle. This is also another situation when it might be best to wait until things have cleared up so that you can make your pass safely. The key to defensive driving is assessing your current situation on the road and adjusting accordingly.