NRS 484B.210: When Overtaking On Right Side Allowed

As many drivers in southern Nevada can attest, some people controlling vehicles on the streets play by their own rules. The Nevada Revised Statute chapter 484 is for the Rules of the Road and was setup by lawmakers in Carson City to provide consistent rules with everyone’s safety in mind.

These rules are meant to be adhered to by all drivers and by doing so, each driver on the road can understand what the other drivers are doing and what they are supposed to do (assuming they are following the law).

The responsibility of each driver to stay in compliance with the Rules of the Road is very important and that is why law enforcement officers have the autonomy to issue citations for drivers that violate these traffic rules.

One major rule that most drivers are already knowledgeable about is for passing cars on the roadway on the left-hand side. Slower traffic should be in the right-hand lanes and faster-moving vehicles should be traveling in the left-hand lane.

There are exceptions to this rule and are stated in a statute that provides examples as to when passing on another car on the right-hand side is acceptable. NRS 484B.210 pertains to this exact situation.

What Does NRS.484B.210 Say

This statute reads:

NRS 484B.210 When overtaking on right side allowed; additional penalty for violation committed in work zone.

1. The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:

We will cover each of the conditions but right away a driver who is educated on this statute can understand the exceptions of passing a car on the right-hand side and still be confident that they are not violating the traffic laws in Nevada and do not have to worry about getting a costly ticket.

Ticket Busters can assist if you are ever issued a traffic ticket. Whether you feel as if you were in the wrong or not, we can help. Our experienced legal team will provide great customer service and will work to make your life easier by trying to get your ticket reduced and saving you additional costs and time (ie: court appearances, traffic school).

When Overtaking on the Right Side is Allowed

Let’s begin looking at the various reasons when a driver in Nevada can actually overtake and pass a car on the right side (instead of the left).

#1: When the Vehicle in Front is Signaling or Making a Left Turn

(a) When the driver of the vehicle overtaken is making or signaling to make a left turn.

If a car in front of you that you are in need of passing is making a left-hand turn then you certainly do not want to pass them on the left-hand side or you will cause an accident.

Depending on the timing, the car could turn left and run right into you if you are passing them at the same time. One should note that the statute is specific to say that a car can simply be making a signal to turn and not actually turning.

That is an important detail and one that could be used in your defense if the police officer giving you the ticket did not see the turn signal but you did.

#2: When There’s Enough Room

The next section and reasoning pertain to highways with unobstructed pavement. The verbiage from NRS 484B.210 specifically reads:

(b) Upon a highway with unobstructed pavement which is not occupied by parked vehicles and which is of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction.

So, if there is simply not enough room to pass on the left-hand side then you can pass on the right. Seems obvious enough but just like any law, it needs to be detailed and the Carson City lawmakers did not disappoint in that regard.

#3: RIght-Lane Doesn’t Have Parked Vehicles and/or Not a Traffic Lane

(c) Upon a highway with unobstructed pavement which is not marked as a traffic lane and which is not occupied by parked vehicles, if the vehicle that is overtaking and passing another vehicle:

(1) Does not travel more than 200 feet in the section of pavement not marked as a traffic lane; or

(2) While being driven in the section of pavement not marked as a traffic lane, does not travel through an intersection or past any private way that is used to enter or exit the highway.

In this situation, it is ok for someone to drive their car on the right side of another to pass them as long as there is sufficient room not being occupied by cars that are already parked.

A couple of side points indicate that the driver cannot drive through any private driveways while overtaking the other vehicle on the right. And they are also not allowed to drive through that unmarked traffic lane if it takes more than 200 feet for them to accomplish their pass.

#4: Safety First

The next exception deals with traffic all moving in the same direction:

(d) Upon any highway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement, where the highway is free from obstructions and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles.

2. The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety.

Although this is common sense, it is useful for Nevada drivers to know for sure. Most drivers would pass in this situation if there was ample room and safe whether or not they knew it was legal. By reading through this statute, drivers can at least know for sure that they are abiding by the law and that is very important.

Traffic tickets can be costly and time-consuming so it is wise to invest time in knowing the laws in Nevada so that if you are ever accused of violating a traffic law or even get a ticket, you can know if the charge is legitimate or not.

In either case, you should reach out to Ticket Busters. Even if you are at fault we can assist you with moving your traffic issue through the legal process without you having to take on the full burden.

#5: Don’t Go Offroad to Overtake

3. The driver of a vehicle shall not overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right when such movement requires driving off the paved portion of the highway.

This part of the NRS can be very useful for many drivers because although Las Vegas is a huge world-class city, there are still a lot of dirt roads.

As the city continues its growth, certain neighborhoods that were once in the middle of nowhere are now being developed. The crossover of rural, desert areas to urban growth causes many issues that really pertain to this NRS.

Not only does it create lots of road construction, which is needed to expand the size of streets as well as construct traffic lights, but sometimes the work is needed to simply flatten the road. So, as drivers try to avoid the orange cones and other traffic obstructions they will also often encounter dirt roads and shoulders that are unpaved.

If one finds themselves in a situation where sufficient room to pass another car on the right is available but that area is not paved then you could definitely be issued a ticket if a police officer witnesses this action.

It’s probably not good to drive in unpaved areas especially if you have a car instead of a truck. The desert area can be very nasty to cars as cacti are prevalent and potholes lurk just beneath the surface. By driving in unpaved areas with a sedan, sports car, or other types of low-riding passenger car, you not only risk doing damage to your automobile but also risk getting a traffic ticket and both of those scenarios are bad.

#6: Additional Penalties for Violation in a Work Zone

4. A person who violates any provision of this section may be subject to the additional penalty set forth in NRS 484B.130.

This subsection/disclosure can be found in many of the Rules of the Road which is part of chapter 484 in the Nevada Revised Statutes. The NRS that is referenced is the one that states that there is a double penalty if a driver is found violating a statute in a work zone.

There are some exceptions but it is best practice to really slow down and follow all rules when you are in a construction zone or other type of zone where work is being conducted. By violating a statute and getting caught, you already almost guarantee yourself some type of cost (fine, opportunity cost of lost time, extra gas usage, court fees, etc…) and by violating one of the many Rules of the Road in a work zone you simply compound that liability.

So, as always, it is important to slow down and use your common sense when driving but also to be educated on all of the various laws and their intricacies. Most importantly, if you do get a ticket, know that you can reach out to Ticket Busters for immediate help.

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