The

overtaking sight distance is the minimum

distance open to the vision of the driver of a
vehicle intending to overtake the slow
vehicle ahead safely against the traffic in the
opposite direction.
If all vehicles are moving in the same speed
then theoretically there should be no need
for any overtaking.

 Velocities

of the overtaking vehicle,

overtaken vehicle and of the vehicle coming
in the opposite direction.
Spacing between vehicles.
Skill and reaction time of the driver.
Rate of acceleration of overtaking vehicle.
Gradient of the road.

 Let

A is the overtaking vehicle, B the

overtaken vehicle and C is the vehicle
coming in the opposite direction.
The overtaking operation can be split up into
three, thus dividing the overtaking sight
distance into three parts d1, d2 and d3.

 d1

is the distance travelled by overtaking

vehicle A during the reaction time t sec of
the driver from position A1 to A2 .
d2 is the distance travelled by vehicle A from
A2 to A3 during the actual overtaking
operation, in time T sec.
d3 is the distance travelled by on coming
vehicle C from C1 to C2 during overtaking
operation of A, ie in T sec

 Certain

assumptions are made in order to

calculate d1, d2 and d3
It is assumed that vehicle A is forced to
reduce its speed to the speed vb of the slow
vehicle B and moves behind it allowing a
space s.
The distance travelled by the vehicle A
during this reaction time is d1.
The distance d1 will be vbt metre.
Where t is the reaction time taken as two
seconds.
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 From

position A2 , the vehicle A starts

accelerating and overtakes the vehicle B in
position A3 which is ahead of B in time T sec.
The minimum spacing s between the A2 and
B1 is given by the empirical formula:
s= (0.7vb+6),m .
The minimum distance between B2 and A3 is also
be assumed equal to s as mentioned.

 If

the time taken by vehicle A for overtaking

operation is T sec, the distance travelled by
the slow vehicle B traveling at a speed of vb
m/sec= b= vb*T m.
Now the time T depends on speed of
overtaken vehicle B and the acceleration of
overtaking vehicle A.
The time T can be calculated by equating
the distance d2 to (vbT + aT2)
ie d2 = (b+2s) = (vbT + aT2)
8

 b=

vb*T and therefore 2s=

Therefore
Hence

T=

sec

d2= (vbT + 2s)m.

 The

distance travelled by the vehicle C

during time T from C1 to C2 which is
moving at a design speed v m/sec.
d3 = v*T m
Thus

overtaking sight distance = d1 + d2 +d3

= [vbt +(vbT+2s) + vT]
Where
Vb = speed of slow vehicle(over taken vehicle)
if vb is not given it may be assumed as
vb = (v-4.5)m/sec
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 t=
T=

reaction time = 2 sec

sec

s=

(0.7vb+6),m
v= design speed.
In

one way traffic the overtaking sight

distance needed will be only d1 + d2 as no
vehicle is expected from the opposite
direction.

11

Speed, kmph

Acceleration m/sec2

25

1.41

30

1.3

40

1.24

50

1.11

65

.92

80

.72

100

.53

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 Overtaking

zones are provided when OSD

cannot be provided throughout the length of
the highway.
These are zones dedicated for overtaking
operation, marked with wide roads.
The desirable length of overtaking zones is 5
times OSD and the minimum is three times
OSD

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14

 On

horizontal curves the overtaking sight

distance requirements cannot always be
fulfilled especially on sharp curves.
At stretches were overtaking sight distance
cannot be provided intermediate sight
distance is provided which is equal to twice
that of stopping sight distance.

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