Roads get us from A to B, but they also double as parking, which means passing parked cars safely is a skill every driver needs. A lot of learning to drive is about reacting well to different situations, and while you rarely have to fully improvise, there are clear rules you can adapt to what's in front of you. Overtaking parked cars is no different. This guide takes you through who has priority when passing parked vehicles, how commitment changes the rules, and the practical steps for position, space and speed that keep the manoeuvre safe, and pick up marks on your test.
The Four Things to Consider When Passing Parked Cars
When you approach a parked vehicle, there are four questions to run through:
Priority. Who should go first, you or oncoming traffic?
Position. Are you positioned to complete the manoeuvre safely?
Space. Are you giving the parked vehicle enough room?
Speed. What's an appropriate speed to pass the obstacle?
On your driving test, the examiner is watching for good judgement on exactly these four points. Let's take them in turn.
Who Has Priority When Passing Parked Cars?
Sometimes there's room for two-way traffic to slip past a parked car. Often there isn't, and then you need to know who has right of way. Two rules decide it.
The first comes from Rule 163 of the Highway Code, which advises giving way to oncoming vehicles before passing parked vehicles on your side of the road. In practice:
If the parked cars are on your side of the road, give way to oncoming traffic. If they're on the opposite side, you have priority.
The Commitment Rule
The priority rule is qualified by a second one: commitment. If you've already started your overtake, oncoming traffic should give way to you, and vice versa. Once a driver is committed, which side the cars are parked on no longer matters. You're committed if you have started the manoeuvre, are too close to the parked car to tuck back in safely, or would have to reverse to let the oncoming driver through.
If you're both committed, one of you has to reverse. It should be whoever is least inconvenienced, usually the driver with the shortest distance to go back, but also consider who has traffic queued behind them. One car reversing is far less disruptive than a whole line of them.
Double Parking: Who Goes First?
Double parking is where cars are parked on both sides of the road. On a narrow street with no room for you both to pass at once, the rule is simply first come, first served. Whoever reaches the gap first has priority and can begin their overtake. If you arrive together, try to make eye contact to read the other driver's intentions, there's no strict right or wrong, but once one of you is committed, the other gives way. The same applies whether the parked cars are directly opposite or staggered.
A Note on Flashing Headlights
Officially, headlights should only be flashed to let another driver know you're there, not to send messages, because their meaning isn't always clear and roads are safer with less ambiguity. In reality, plenty of drivers use them more loosely. If an oncoming driver flashes you while you're facing parked cars, they usually mean they'll wait for you to go first, but treat it with care, because there's always room for misinterpretation.
Get Into Position Early
To make the overtake smooth, position yourself correctly. As you prepare to pull out, check your mirror and move to the right-hand side of your lane. This does three things: it signals to others that you intend to pass the parked cars, it gives you (and oncoming traffic) better visibility of each other, and it means you won't have to swing out as widely, so you take up less road and cause less disruption. Get into position in good time, because you want to start pulling out early.
Give Parked Cars Enough Room
When you pass any obstacle you need space both length-ways and width-ways, and because it's a safety issue, the examiner will be watching closely.
Length-Ways
Swinging out at the last second risks clipping the parked car and can put you face to face with oncoming traffic. Instead, move out while there's still plenty of room ahead of the obstacle. That gives you space to tuck back in if needed, and lets you glide out rather than swerve, straightening the car sooner and using less road, which may even let oncoming traffic pass at the same time.
Width-Ways
Passing a parked car isn't just about clearing a static object, someone may open a door. Aim for roughly a metre of clearance, enough room for a car door without hindering oncoming traffic more than necessary. And when you open your own door, use the Dutch Reach: open it with the hand furthest from the door, which naturally turns your body so you check your mirror and blind spot for cyclists and traffic before opening.
Rather than judging your gap by the white centre line, look at the actual available road space. If you and an oncoming vehicle both fit in it, you don't need to wait. If not, hold back until there's a lull.
Slow Down
You can't always give parked cars as much room as you'd like, and that's where speed matters. Slowing down gives you more control and lets you stop sooner if you need to. With a metre of clearance each side, around 20mph is usually fine. Squeezing through a tighter gap means dropping your speed further, the less space, the lower the speed, so good clutch control for slow, precise driving is essential.
Summary:
Passing parked cars comes down to four things: priority, position, space and speed. Give way to oncoming traffic when the parked cars are on your side, and take priority when they're on the far side, but remember that commitment overrides this once a driver has started their move. Get into position early on the right of your lane, leave about a metre of clearance for opening doors, and drop your speed to match the space you have. Handle those well and you'll pass parked cars safely, and confidently on test day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I indicate when passing parked vehicles?
Usually not. Indicating right can confuse other drivers into thinking you're turning into a junction or driveway. Instead, signal your intention through road positioning by moving to the right of your lane in good time. The one exception is if it might look like you've parked up behind the cars, in which case a brief right indicator can help, turned off as soon as you've pulled out. Avoid indicating left, as it suggests you're about to park or turn.
How do I pass a line of parked cars?
Treat a line of parked cars as one continuous manoeuvre rather than slaloming in and out of the gaps, which is safer and usually quicker. You can still use the gaps as passing places to let oncoming traffic through when needed.
What about passing parked cars on a bend?
Bends limit your visibility, so take extra care. On a right-hand bend, stay in your lane as long as possible so you can see further past the parked car. On a left-hand bend it's the opposite, move out in good time, since holding your lane reduces your view ahead.
How much room should I leave when passing a parked car?
Aim for around a metre of clearance where possible. That leaves enough room for someone to open a car door without you hindering oncoming traffic more than necessary. Where the road is too tight for a full metre, reduce your speed to compensate.
Who reverses if two drivers are both committed?
Whichever driver is least inconvenienced should reverse, usually the one with the shortest distance to go back. Also consider queued traffic: if one driver has a line of cars behind them, it's easier for the single car on the other side to reverse instead.