Overtaking
Pass on right, no overtaking zones, 30m rule near crossings
Overtaking on the left is allowed on one-way streets with multiple lanes.
🚗 Overtaking Cheat Sheet
Key facts from this topic. Print this page for quick offline reference.
TRUE: In Japan, you must overtake (pass) other vehicles on their right side.
Since Japan drives on the left, overtaking must be done on the right side of the vehicle being passed.
TRUE: You may overtake another vehicle on its left side on a multi-lane road when the vehicle is turning right.
On multi-lane roads, you may pass a vehicle on its left side if the vehicle ahead is turning right and waiting in the center of the road.
TRUE: Overtaking is prohibited within 30 meters of an intersection without traffic signals.
Overtaking is prohibited within 30 meters of the edge of an intersection that has no traffic signals.
TRUE: Overtaking is prohibited within 30 meters of a pedestrian crossing.
You must not overtake within 30 meters before a pedestrian crossing.
TRUE: Overtaking is prohibited within 30 meters of a railroad crossing.
Overtaking is prohibited within 30 meters of a railroad crossing.
TRUE: You should not overtake when the vehicle ahead is already overtaking another vehicle (double overtaking).
Double overtaking (overtaking a vehicle that is already overtaking) is prohibited.
TRUE: You must check your mirrors and blind spots before initiating an overtaking maneuver.
Before overtaking, you must check your rearview mirror, side mirrors, and blind spot to ensure no vehicle is already overtaking you or approaching from behind at high speed.
TRUE: A solid yellow center line means overtaking is prohibited.
A solid yellow (orange) center line indicates a no-passing zone.
TRUE: Overtaking is permitted in a tunnel that has sufficient lighting and multiple lanes.
Overtaking in tunnels is prohibited only in tunnels that are not well-lit or do not have clear lane markings.
TRUE: When overtaking a bicycle, you must leave at least 1 meter of space.
When overtaking a bicycle, you should leave at least 1 to 1.
FALSE: You may overtake on the crest of a hill if you can see the road ahead clearly.
Overtaking is prohibited on the crest (top) of a hill where visibility is limited, regardless of how far you think you can see.
FALSE: You may overtake on a curve if the road is wide enough.
Overtaking is prohibited on curves where visibility is limited, regardless of road width.
FALSE: It is permissible to exceed the speed limit briefly while overtaking another vehicle.
You must never exceed the speed limit, even while overtaking.
FALSE: When being overtaken, you should speed up to prevent the other vehicle from passing.
When being overtaken, you must NOT speed up or take any action to prevent the overtaking vehicle from passing.
FALSE: After overtaking, you should immediately return to the left lane.
After overtaking, you should return to the left lane only when you can see the overtaken vehicle in your rearview mirror.