Ohitukset

Ohitukset refers to overtaking maneuvers in road traffic, where a vehicle passes another traveling in the same direction by temporarily moving into a neighboring lane or into a passing lane if present. After gaining a safe lead, the overtaking vehicle returns to the original lane.

In practice, ohitukset occur most often on multi-lane roads or two-lane roads with a clear overtaking zone. The driver signals, checks mirrors and blind spots, and ensures there is enough space in front of the vehicle being overtaken. The maneuver should be completed promptly and without forcing the slower vehicle to brake or change course. Overtaking is usually not allowed or is dangerous in places with limited visibility, such as approaching curves or hills, at intersections, near pedestrian zones, in tunnels, or where oncoming traffic precludes a safe pass.

Legal frameworks vary by country, but most systems require overtaking to be done on the side permitted by traffic flow. In countries with right-hand traffic, overtaking is commonly done on the left; in left-hand traffic systems, it is done on the right. Drivers should also consider weather, road surface, and traffic density; in urban areas overtaking bicycles or mopeds should be restricted to safe opportunities.

Ohitukset are a standard topic in driver education and road safety discussions, emphasizing signaling, situational awareness, and the importance of maintaining safe following distances after the pass.