A recent quiz from RACQ put Queenslanders to the test, asking if was legal for the yellow car (below) to overtake using the left-hand lane.

The answer is at the bottom of this article.

RACQ’s Manager Road Safety and Technical Joel Tucker said safety should always be top of mind on the road.

“It’s important to assess the safety of any given situation before overtaking,” Mr Tucker said.

“Whether it is in situations like this quiz where cars are travelling at high speeds on a multi-lane road, or more traditionally on an undivided road where you need to cross to the other side of the road to perform the manoeuvre, good visibility of the road and traffic ahead and good judgment are essential.”

Mr Tucker also said that even though waiting for a suitable opportunity to overtake a slower vehicle may test your patience, you should never break any road rules to do so.

“When you find yourself behind another vehicle that you want to overtake, you should be patient, avoid tailgating and wait for the right opportunity – one which doesn’t result in you exceeding the speed limit to get past the other vehicle,” Mr Tucker said.

“We encourage all road users to keep their cool on the road and always prioritise safety when planning an overtaking manoeuvre.”

Another quiz shared by RACQ earlier this year created similar discussion testing Queenslanders’ knowledge on overtaking at a pedestrian crossing.

Question: Can the yellow vehicle drive past the blue vehicle that has stopped to give way to the pedestrian?



Answer: No, a driver must not pass or overtake a vehicle headed in the same direction that has stopped to give way to a pedestrian or bicycle on or entering a pedestrian or children’s crossing.

And what about overtaking on the left?

Yes, you can overtake on a multi-lane road in a marked lane to the left if it is safe to do so.

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