Overtaking
Overtaking is one of the highest risk manoeuvres for both drivers and riders because it can place the overtaking vehicle into the path of oncoming traffic, often at high speeds. If there is a head-on collision, the speed of both vehicles combines to create a much more severe impact, resulting in more serious injuries to occupants of the overtaking vehicle and the road user it comes into conflict with.
In 2022, 6,280 vehicles were involved in an overtaking collision, of which 53 per cent were car drivers, and 32 per cent were motorcyclists[1].
There are three types of overtaking manoeuvre:
-
Overtaking a moving vehicle on the offside
-
Overtaking a stationary or parked vehicle, a rider or an object on the offside
-
Undertaking on the nearside.
Table 1: Vehicles involved in overtaking collisions, 2022, Great Britain[2]
| |
Cars |
Buses or coaches |
Vans/Light goods vehicles |
HGVs |
Pedal cycles |
Motorcycles |
Total |
| Overtaking a moving vehicle - offside |
1,782 |
22 |
167 |
42 |
124 |
1,124 |
3,261 |
| Overtaking a stationary vehicle - offside |
881 |
13 |
88 |
14 |
201 |
522 |
1,719 |
| Overtaking - nearside |
657 |
20 |
61 |
7 |
192 |
363 |
1,300 |
| Total |
3,320 |
55 |
316 |
63 |
517 |
2,009 |
6,280 |