Question 213 · Car theory test
When meeting oncoming traffic on a national road, is it permitted to move into the hard shoulder to allow following traffic to overtake?
Pick an answer to test yourself.
Correct answer
Yes, temporarily, when the hard shoulder is clear and it is safe to drive there.
Official explanation
On national roads, the hard shoulder is normally for the use of pedestrians and cyclists only. If you want to allow a vehicle behind to overtake, you may pull into the hard shoulder briefly, as long as no pedestrians or cyclists are using it and there are no junctions or entrances nearby. In the case of motorways, however, you must not drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency.
- Topic
- Manoeuvres, turning & overtaking
- Also in
- This question also appears in the motorcycle theory test.
Practise this topic in the app
Free demo questions for every topic, progress saved, a full mock exam in the official format.
Got it wrong, or had to think? That is one of 805 questions the car theory test can draw from. Sit the car mock exam in the official format (40 questions, 45 minutes, pass mark 35) and see how many more you would miss.
Related questions
- What should a driver do if a heavy goods vehicle in front has moved out to make a left turn ahead?
- What should a driver do if a bus in front has moved out to make a left-hand turn and there is oncoming traffic?
- What should a driver do if they are first in line to turn right at traffic lights while the green light is showing and there is oncoming traffic approaching?
- When is it permitted to force oncoming traffic onto the hard shoulder on the opposite side of the road while overtaking?
- When driving on a national road, is it permitted to drive on the hard shoulder in order to allow faster-moving traffic to overtake?
- What should a driver do if another vehicle blocks their right of way at a junction?