To pass a slower-moving vehicle on a two-lane, two-way road, you must:
- Not cross the centerline.
- Flash your lights at oncoming traffic.
- Use the shoulder.
- Use the lane that belongs to oncoming traffic. ✓
Answer: D. Use the lane that belongs to oncoming traffic.
You must use the lane that belongs to oncoming traffic, moving into the left lane to pass when conditions are safe and legal.
Why this is the answer
The manual says the left lane is normally used to pass other vehicles. On a two-lane, two-way road, that left lane is the oncoming traffic lane, so passing means using it. The manual also lists when you cannot pass: a solid yellow center line, no safe return before a solid yellow line or before an oncoming vehicle is within 200 feet, a curve or hill top, or certain railroad, bridge, tunnel, or viaduct situations.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Not cross the centerline. — Staying on your side of the centerline would keep you in the right lane, but the manual says the left lane is normally used to pass.
- B. Flash your lights at oncoming traffic. — Flashing your lights at oncoming traffic is not described in the manual as a passing method and does not move you around the slower vehicle.
- C. Use the shoulder. — The manual says you cannot drive on or across the shoulder or edge line unless a sign allows it or a traffic officer indicates it.
Remember it
On a two-lane road, pass on the left only when the oncoming lane is clear and you can return before it stops being clear.