← Using the road
Rule 169: Holding up a queue of traffic
Advice, not law
Overtaking (rules 162 to 169)
Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.
Advice, not law. This rule is not written in capitals, so breaking it is not an offence in itself — but it can still be used in evidence in court to establish liability. The rules that say MUST or MUST NOT are the ones backed by law.
5 theory test questions on this rule
From the DVSA revision question bank. These are not the questions asked in the real theory test. Each one shows the answer, the explanation, and our own note on why every other option is not it.
Car
- What should you do if you're driving a slow-moving vehicle on a narrow winding road? Attitude
- Which vehicles should use the left-hand lane on a three-lane motorway? Motorway rules
- You're at the front of a queue of traffic waiting to turn right into a side road. Why is it important to check your right mirror just before turning? Vulnerable road users