You are driving a bus and want to overtake a motorcycle outside a built-up area. What lateral distance must you leave to carry out the maneuver safely?

Question

DentroTest · Accepted Answer

Since 1 October 2026, Article 85(4) of the General Traffic Regulations requires a lateral distance of at least 1.5 meters when overtaking pedestrians, animals, animal-drawn vehicles, mopeds, personal mobility vehicles and cyclists, but it no longer mentions motorcycles (it used to refer to "two-wheeled vehicles"). When overtaking a motorcycle, the general rule of Article 85(1) applies: leave a lateral distance sufficient to do so safely, with no fixed figure. That is why requiring 1.5 meters, which is the minimum for cyclists and the other users listed, is not valid. Nor is the margin proportional to the speed and width of the roadway valid, which disappeared from Article 85 with that reform (Royal Decree 518/2026).

You are driving a bus and want to overtake a motorcycle outside a built-up area. What lateral distance must you leave to carry out the maneuver safely?

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