When you want to overtake and pass another vehicle, you should:
- Wait for a signal from the other driver.
- Change lanes quickly so the other driver will see you.
- Signal and pass when it is safe to do so. ✓
- Stay close behind the vehicle so you need less time to pass.
Answer: C. Signal and pass when it is safe to do so.
You should signal and pass when it is safe to do so.
Why this is the answer
The manual says you must signal before a lane change, using turn signals or hand and arm signals at least 100 feet ahead. It also says passing must be done with caution and only when necessary and safe, and that you can pass on a broken line only if you can do so safely without interfering with traffic. So the right approach is to signal your intention, then make the pass only after you have checked that it is safe.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Wait for a signal from the other driver. — Waiting for a signal from the other driver is not what the manual requires; it tells you to use your own turn or hand signal before changing lanes.
- B. Change lanes quickly so the other driver will see you. — Changing lanes quickly conflicts with the manual's instruction to pass with caution and only when safe, and to signal well before the lane change.
- D. Stay close behind the vehicle so you need less time to pass. — Staying close behind is not a passing rule in the manual; it says to pass with caution and only when it is safe.
Remember it
Remember it as signal, check, pass only if safe.
Official handbook: New York State Driver's Manual (MV-21), Chapter 6: Passing – Passing