Hazard perception handbook - RTA

actual number of seconds counted. Practise this until you can consistently estimate
how long it will take an oncoming vehicle to reach you, within one second accuracy.
STEP 3
SIMULATING THE OvERTAkING TASk
you have now practised separately the two main parts of overtaking. It is now time
to combine them to simulate what it would be like to overtake a vehicle on a twoway
road with oncoming traffic.
from Step 1 you know how long it takes for you to pass a slower vehicle in a
particular speed zone. for example, if it took 12 seconds from when you first
indicated until you moved back to the left lane, then 12 seconds is the minimum
time that you need to overtake a vehicle travelling at that speed in that speed zone.
Using this example, you need to add a safety margin of at least three seconds to give
you the minimum time gap you need between your car and an oncoming vehicle if
you want to overtake a slower vehicle in this speed zone on a two-way, undivided
road. The two components of a safe overtaking gap are shown in the picture.
Now estimate the minimum safe time gap for you to overtake safely. Take the
passing time you have already worked out in Step 1 and add a margin of three
seconds.
Use the same road that you have practised steps 1 and 2 on. drive in the left lane
and start coming up behind a vehicle that is travelling at just below the speed limit.
Move up to a three second following distance behind the slower vehicle.
Watch the approaching traffic and look for a time gap that you think would be large
enough for you to safely pass the slower vehicle before the approaching vehicle
draws level with your car. Pull out, pass the vehicle and return to the left lane. Check
your estimate against your actual performance. did you manage to complete the
passing task before the approaching vehicle was within three seconds of your car?
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