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Florida driving lesson · Highways, Parking, and Turning

Passing safely and legally

A 3-minute lesson from the Florida course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Highways, Parking, and Turning
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
75

Passing means spending time in a lane that may have oncoming traffic, so Florida limits where you can do it and how you finish. Being passed has rules too.

How to pass:

  • 1. Signal before moving into the left lane
  • 2. Stay a safe distance behind; the closer you are, the less you can see ahead
  • 3. Check blind spots and make sure you have plenty of time and room
  • 4. Tap your horn (day) or flash your headlights (night) to let the driver know
  • 5. Return right only when you can see the passed vehicle's tires in your rear-view mirror; signal
  • 6. Be back on the right side before coming within 200 feet of any approaching vehicle
Handbook p. 75 ↗
Passing another vehicle
Passing on a two-lane road across a broken yellow line
200 feet

Return to the right before coming within this distance of an approaching vehicle

Handbook p. 75 ↗

Know the rule

Don't try to pass more than one vehicle at a time. It's illegal to exceed the speed limit while passing.

Handbook p. 75 ↗

You must NOT pass:

  • Where a single or double solid line divides the lanes
  • When the double yellow line is solid in your lane
  • In Do Not Pass and No Passing zones
  • On hills or curves where you can't see at least 500 feet ahead
  • Within 100 feet of an intersection, bridge, viaduct, tunnel or railroad crossing
  • When a school bus is stopped with warning flashers on and stop sign out
  • At crosswalks where a vehicle has stopped to let a pedestrian cross
Handbook p. 75 ↗
500 feet

Don't pass on a hill or curve unless you can see at least this far ahead

Handbook p. 75 ↗
100 feet

No passing within this distance of an intersection, bridge, viaduct, tunnel or railroad crossing

Handbook p. 75 ↗

Know the rule

Passing on the right is legal only when there are two or more lanes moving in the same direction, or the vehicle you're passing is turning left.

Handbook p. 75 ↗

Know the rule

When being passed, don't speed up. Move to the right side of your lane to give the passing driver room and a better view.

Handbook p. 75 ↗

Know the rule

Florida law says you must move out of the left lane when a faster vehicle is overtaking you from behind.

Handbook p. 75 ↗

Put it into practice

You're approaching a hill on a two-lane road behind a slow tractor. The line is broken, but you can see only about 300 feet over the crest. Don't pass. You need to see at least 500 feet ahead.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

You must not pass another vehicle on hills or curves where you cannot see at least how far ahead?
  1. 350 feet
  2. 500 feet
  3. 200 feet
  4. 700 feet

Answer: 500 feet

You must not pass on hills or curves where you can't see at least 500 feet ahead.

Handbook p. 75 ↗
You must not pass within how many feet of an intersection, bridge, or railroad crossing?
  1. 200 feet
  2. 150 feet
  3. 100 feet
  4. 50 feet

Answer: 100 feet

You must not pass within 100 feet of an intersection, bridge, viaduct, tunnel, or railroad crossing.

Handbook p. 75 ↗
Before you may return to the right side of the road after passing, how close can you be to an approaching vehicle?
  1. No closer than 300 feet
  2. No closer than 500 feet
  3. No closer than 100 feet
  4. No closer than 200 feet

Answer: No closer than 200 feet

You must return to the right side of the road before coming within 200 feet of any approaching vehicle.

Handbook p. 75 ↗
When you are being passed by another vehicle, what should you do?
  1. Don't speed up; keep to the right
  2. Speed up slightly to help them finish sooner
  3. Increase your speed to match them
  4. Brake to let them pass faster

Answer: Don't speed up; keep to the right

Do not increase your speed when being passed; move to the right side of your lane to give the passing driver more room.

Handbook p. 75 ↗
Passing on the right is only legal when:
  1. The vehicle ahead is under the speed limit
  2. Two or more lanes go your way, or the car ahead turns left
  3. The right shoulder is wide and paved
  4. No other traffic is present

Answer: Two or more lanes go your way, or the car ahead turns left

Passing on the right is only legal when there are two or more lanes moving the same direction or the vehicle ahead is turning left.

Handbook p. 75 ↗
You may pass a vehicle when a school bus ahead is stopped with its warning flashers on and stop sign extended.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

You must not pass when a school bus is stopped and has its warning flashers on and stop sign extended.

Handbook p. 75 ↗
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