Passing on the left — Tennessee Permit Test

Before you pass, be sure you have enough room to complete it; cutting back too soon risks a sideswipe, too late a head-on crash.

A pass begun without room ends with you squeezed between the car you are passing and oncoming traffic.

If you have to cut back to your lane too soon, you risk sideswiping the vehicle you are passing.

As a rule, if you see any sign of an oncoming vehicle, it is too close for you to risk a pass.

Closing speeds on a two-lane road add up fast. A car that looks far away is often seconds from you.

As a rule, if you see any sign of an oncoming vehicle, it is too close for you to risk a pass.

If you pass several vehicles at once, you should be able to return to the right lane before coming within 100 feet of no-passing markings or oncoming vehicles.

Passing a line of cars takes far longer than one. Run out of room and nobody can let you back in.

Can complete the pass of all vehicles and be safely returned to the right lane before coming within 100 feet of the no passing markings (solid yellow line, signs, etc.) and/or any oncoming vehicles approaching from the opposite direction.

Try to avoid passing at night unless you know the road; it is harder at night to see where the passing zone ends.

In the dark a small hill or curve can hide a car until you are already in its lane.

It is more difficult at night to see where the passing zone ends.

On a two-lane road, pass a vehicle going your direction only on its left.

Drivers on a two-lane road watch their left mirror for passing cars, not the shoulder on their right.

When overtaking and passing another vehicle traveling in the same direction on a two-lane road in the USA, you should pass only to the left of the vehicle.

Do not swing out across the center line for a look; if you need to, you are following too closely or the sight distance is too short to pass.

Poking your nose into the other lane can put it in front of an oncoming car you could not see.

If you need to do this to see, you are either following too closely or attempting to pass in an area where your sight distance is too limited to pass safely.

After passing, return to your lane when you can see the entire passed vehicle in your rear view mirror.

Cut in before you see the whole car and your back bumper clips its front end.

When you can see the entire vehicle you passed in your rear view mirror,

What risk do you take if you cut back into your lane too soon after passing?

Sideswiping the car you just passed. A pass begun without room ends with you squeezed between the car you are passing and oncoming traffic. Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, p.61: “If you have to cut back to your lane too soon, you risk sideswiping the vehicle you are passing.”