In what circumstance may you overtake a vehicle on the left?

If the right-hand lane has a slower moving vehicle in it

If you are approaching to turn off at a motorway slip road

When the vehicle in front signals to turn left

In what circumstan… — When you are on a one-w…

The answer options

When you are on a one-way streetCorrect
If the right-hand lane has a slower moving vehicle in it
If you are approaching to turn off at a motorway slip road
When the vehicle in front signals to turn left

Why the other options are wrong

“If the right-hand lane has a slower moving vehicle in it” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which when you are on a one-way street does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
“If you are approaching to turn off at a motorway slip road” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which when you are on a one-way street does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
“When the vehicle in front signals to turn left” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which when you are on a one-way street does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.

Why that is the answer

You may pass a vehicle on the left on a one-way street because all traffic moves in the same direction, allowing you to use any available lane to overtake safely. Normally, you must overtake on the right. Passing on the left simply because a vehicle in the right-hand lane is moving slowly is dangerous undertaking and against Highway Code guidance. You may only pass on the left if traffic is queuing or if the vehicle ahead signals to turn right.

What vehicle handling covers

· Front and rear fog lights and the 100-metre visibility rule
· Descending steep hills in a lower gear and engine braking
· Traffic calming, humps, and driving over tram rails
· Night driving, dipped headlights and dazzle from oncoming traffic

Mistakes learners repeat on this topic

· Leaving rear fog lights on after visibility improves
· Coasting downhill in neutral to save fuel
· Using full beam on a lit motorway or behind another vehicle
· Accelerating between speed humps instead of holding a steady speed

Instructor tip: Any question with fog in it usually turns on the 100-metre rule — check visibility before you check the lights.

How this comes up in the real test

Questions from vehicle handling appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.

The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.

Practise Vehicle Handling Sit a full mock test