Rules for overtaking and giving way to overtaking vehicles from January 01, 2025

Rules for overtaking and giving way to overtaking vehicles from January 01, 2025 (Image from Internet)

Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order 2024 was passed by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 15th legislature, at its 7th session on June 27, 2024.

What is overtaking under the law in Vietnam?

Overtaking is a traffic scenario on a road where each direction of vehicle flow only has one lane for motor vehicles, and the following vehicle moves to the left to pass the vehicle in front.

On roads with two or more lanes designated for motor vehicles moving in the same direction, marked by lane lines, the following vehicle moves ahead of the vehicle in front by applying the lane usage rules specified in Article 13 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order 2024.

(Clause 1, Article 14 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order 2024)

Rules for overtaking and giving way to overtaking vehicles in Vietnam from January 01, 2025

Specifically, in Article 14 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order 2024, the rules for overtaking and giving way to overtaking vehicles in Vietnam from January 01, 2025, are stipulated as follows:

(1) When overtaking, vehicles must pass on the left; in cases where the vehicle in front signals to turn left or is turning left or when a special-use vehicle is working on the road and it is not possible to overtake on the left, then passing on the right is allowed.

(2) Vehicles requesting to overtake can only do so when there is no obstruction ahead, no oncoming vehicle in the intended overtaking section, the vehicle in front is not signaling to overtake another vehicle, and has already signaled to turn right and moved to the right.

(4) When a vehicle requests to overtake, the driver of the vehicle in front must observe the road ahead; if it is safe, they must slow down, signal to the right to inform the following vehicle that it can overtake, and move to the rightmost part of the lane until the overtaking vehicle has passed. They must not obstruct the overtaking request.

In case of an obstruction or if it is unsafe to overtake, the driver of the vehicle in front must signal to the left to inform the following vehicle that overtaking is not possible.

(5) Vehicles requesting to overtake must signal by flashing their front lights or using a horn, except for non-motorized vehicles without lights or horns. When overtaking, the vehicle must signal its direction; the signal must be used, ensuring safe distance from the vehicle in front and behind during the entire overtaking process. In urban areas and densely populated zones from 22:00 to 05:00 the next day, only the light signal can be used for overtaking requests.

(6) Overtaking is prohibited in the following situations:

- When the conditions stated in (3) are not met;

- On narrow bridges with only one lane;

- On curves with limited visibility;

- On two-way roads at crest sections with limited visibility;

- At intersections or where roadways intersect with railways at level crossings;

- When weather or road conditions do not ensure safety for overtaking;

- When encountering priority vehicles;

- In pedestrian crossing areas;

- When disabled persons' wheelchairs are crossing the road;

- Inside tunnels.

More details can be found in the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order 2024 which comes into force in Vietnam from January 01, 2025.

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