Passing distance — Arkansas Permit Test

Do not count on having enough time to pass several cars at once; as a rule, only pass one vehicle at a time.

Each extra car you try to pass adds seconds in the oncoming lane, and the gap you judged may not last.

As a rule, only pass one vehicle at a time.

At a speed of 55 mph, you need about 10 seconds to pass, which means a 10-second gap in oncoming traffic and sight distance.

Passing takes far longer than it feels, and the whole time you are in the lane oncoming cars use.

At a speed of 55 mph, you need about ten (10) seconds to pass.

At 55 mph, a driver will need over 1600 feet, or 1/3 of a mile, to safely pass.

You and the oncoming car are both moving, so the road between you vanishes twice as fast.

This means a driver will need over 1600 feet or 1/3 of a mile to safely pass.

It can be hard to judge oncoming speed at a distance: if you can see the oncoming vehicle coming closer, it may be traveling too fast to pass.

A car far away looks still, so one you can see closing in is already near enough to matter.

If you can see the vehicle coming closer, it may be traveling too fast to pass.

When you are not sure whether there is enough time to safely pass, wait until there is more space before passing.

A pass you are unsure of can leave you head-on with a car you misjudged, and waiting costs only seconds.

When a driver isn’t sure whether or not there is enough time to safely pass, wait until there is more space before passing.

What does the study guide say about passing several cars at once?

Pass only one vehicle at a time. Each extra car you try to pass adds seconds in the oncoming lane, and the gap you judged may not last. Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.61: “As a rule, only pass one vehicle at a time.”