Passing: Safe Procedures, Prohibited Zones & Night Passing Techniques

Passing is changing lanes to move past a slower vehicle. While all public roads have speed limits, not all vehicles travel at the same speed. For example, cyclists, road service vehicles and drivers ahead that are preparing to turn are usually slower than the through traffic. You may want to pass some slow-moving vehicles when you are following them.\n\nGeneral Rule:\nNever overtake and pass another vehicle unless you are sure you can do so without danger to yourself or others. Don't pass moving snow plows under any conditions. If in doubt, do not pass.\n\nPassing Steps:\n1. Use your left-turn signal to show that you want to pass and check that the way is clear ahead and behind before moving into the passing lane\n2. Watch for bicycles and small vehicles that may be hidden from view in front of the vehicle you are about to pass. Also watch for vehicles that may be turning left in front of you and vehicles or pedestrians entering the road from another road or driveway\n3. Change lanes only after signalling. After overtaking, signal that you want to move back into the lane you started from, and when you can see the entire front of the vehicle you are passing in your inside mirror, make the lane change. Be careful not to cut off a vehicle by suddenly moving in front of it\n4. If the vehicle you are passing speeds up, do not race. Go back to your original lane. And do not speed up when another driver is trying to pass you. It is unlawful and dangerous\n\nProhibited Passing Zones:\n• Passing within 30 metres of a pedestrian crossover is not permitted\n• Passing left of a centreline is not permitted 30 metres from a bridge, viaduct or tunnel\n• Don't attempt to pass when approaching the crest of a hill or on a curve where your vision of oncoming traffic is obstructed and there is not enough clear distance ahead to pass in safety\n\nSpecial Considerations:\n• When passing parked vehicles, watch carefully for people suddenly opening doors or for doors opened to load and unload\n• Motorcycles, bicycles, limited-speed motorcycles and mopeds often need to pull to the left or right side of their lane to avoid dangerous road conditions or to be seen by other drivers. Do not take this as an invitation to pass in the same lane. If you do want to pass these vehicles, do so by changing lanes\n• When faster traffic wants to pass you, move to the right and let it pass in safety\n• When being passed on an undivided road where the passing driver has pulled into the opposite lane, pay attention to oncoming traffic and move closer to the right side of the lane. Be prepared to slow down to let the passing driver get in front of you more quickly to prevent a collision\n\nHigh-Speed Roads:\nOn many high-speed roads with three or more lanes in each direction, trucks are not allowed to drive in the far left-hand lane. This means that the lane next to it is the truck passing lane. If you are in this lane and a truck wants to pass, move into the right-hand lane as soon as you can.\n\nPassing at Night:\nBe very careful when you pass other vehicles at night. If you have to pass and the way is clear, follow these steps:\n1. Switch your headlights to low beams as you approach a vehicle from behind\n2. Signal, check your mirrors and blind spot, and pull out to pass. As you move alongside the vehicle you are passing, switch on your high beams. This will let you see more of the road ahead\n3. When you can see all of the front of the vehicle you are passing in your rear view mirror, you are far enough ahead to pull back into the right lane. Remember to signal\n\nSpecial Passing Lanes:\nSome roads have special passing or climbing lanes. These lanes let slower vehicles move into the right-hand lane so that faster ones can pass safely in the left lane. An advance sign tells drivers they will soon have a chance to pass. Another sign warns when the lane is ending so drivers in the right-hand lane can begin to merge safely with traffic in the left-hand lane.\n\nPassing on Shoulders and Right Side:\n• You may drive on the right shoulder only to pass a vehicle turning left and only if the shoulder is paved\n• You may not pass on the left shoulder, paved or not\n• Most passing is done on the left. You may pass on the right on multi-lane or one-way roads and when overtaking a streetcar or a left-turning vehicle\n• Passing on the right can be more dangerous than passing on the left. If you are driving in the left most lane with a slower vehicle in front of you, wait for the vehicle to move to the right. Do not suddenly change lanes and pass on the right; the driver in front may realize you want to pass and move to the right at the same time you do