What is the initial action required when preparing to overtake another vehicle?

When preparing to overtake another vehicle, the initial action required is to check for safety. This involves ensuring that the road ahead is clear, there are no oncoming vehicles, and that it is safe to proceed without putting yourself or other road users at risk. Safety checks are crucial in making informed decisions when executing maneuvers like overtaking, as they help to prevent accidents.

While signaling your intention is also important to inform other drivers of your actions, it should only be done after confirming that it is safe to overtake. Looking for other vehicles is a part of your safety check but is generally included in the broader context of assessing the safety of the overtaking maneuver. Similarly, accelerating should only occur once it is clear that you can safely pass the other vehicle. Prioritizing a thorough safety check ensures that all subsequent actions, such as signaling and accelerating, are performed under safe conditions.