Must you always keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you when you intend to overtake it?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
YES
Explanation
In the video we are driving along a multi-lane city street behind a refuse lorry travelling in the right lane, and we move into the left lane. When you intend to overtake the vehicle in front of you, you must always keep a safe distance from it - the answer is YES.
The Road Traffic Act requires a driver who is overtaking to exercise particular caution, and in particular to keep a safe distance from the vehicle or road user being overtaken - regardless of what kind of vehicle it is. For two-wheelers, scooters and columns of pedestrians the rule adds a minimum of 1 m, but the obligation to keep a safe distance applies to every overtaking. Keep further away from a large vehicle such as a refuse lorry: its driver sees less of what is happening alongside, the vehicle may stop suddenly, and workers may jump out from behind it onto the roadway. You overtake efficiently, without driving for a long time in the driver's blind spot.
Legal basis: Art. 24 para. 1 and 2 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)