Confusing driving manoeuvre which is ‘not technically illegal’

Rules around a driving manoeuvre are potentially some of the most confusing on the roads. Many drivers admit to being unsure what the exact law is when it comes to undertaking. Most of us know that you're generally not supposed to do it and overtaking should be done in the right-hand lane.

But the rules sometimes become blurred when there's slow-moving traffic in the outside lane or a car driving slowly which fails to move over. Motoring experts say while undertaking is "not technically illegal", the Highway Code "does not recommend it". Undertaking increases the chances of collisions on the road if a driver unaware of another vehicle on their left suddenly moves over.

Want the latest headlines and breaking news emailed to your inbox? Sign up here, it's free [2] It can also disrupt the flow of traffic and increase congestion.

Despite these guidelines, many frustrated motorists have said they would undertake if a vehicle was holding them up in the outside lane. The only time it is deemed acceptable is if the left lane is moving quicker, taking the natural flow of traffic past cars on the outside. Experts at Dick Lovett [3] explained: "Undertaking is when a driver passes another vehicle on the left of a bypass or motorway, and Dick Lovett's research found that more than a quarter (27%) of drivers say they'd undertake another driver if they felt they were going too slow, with men 10% more likely to do this than women (31% vs 21%).

"In the Highway Code, it is referred to as 'overtaking on the left', and while it is not technically illegal, the code does not recommend it. The only exceptions to the rule are when drivers are in slow-moving traffic, if the lane is moving faster than a lane on the right. "However, it is not deemed an acceptable reason when one driver thinks another is driving too slow."

References

^ Car tax bombshell as drivers to pay more from 2025 (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
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Sign up here, it's free (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
^ Dick Lovett (www.dicklovett.co.uk)