{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/46.2-856.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/46.2-856.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/46.2-856.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/46.2-856.html"}],"law_id":81455,"edition_id":1,"section_id":81455,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-856","catch_line":"Passing two vehicles abreast","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 46-209, 46-209.1; 1950, p. 880; 1952, c. 671; 1954, cc. 225, 401, 458; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-190; 1960, c. 510; 1964, c. 266; 1966, c. 694; 1968, c. 575; 1970, c. 521; 1974, cc. 222, 455; 1975, c. 633; 1978, c. 27; 1979, c. 86; 1981, cc. 333, 585; 1985, c. 148; 1989, c. 727; 2001, c. 834; 2002, c. 254.","full_text":"A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who passes or attempts to pass two other vehicles abreast, moving in the same direction, except on highways having separate roadways of three or more lanes for each direction of travel, or on designated one-way streets or highways. This section shall not apply, however, to a motor vehicle passing two other vehicles when one or both of such other vehicles is a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped; nor shall this section apply to a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped passing two other vehicles.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":291858,"text":"A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who passes or attempts to pass two other vehicles abreast, moving in the same direction, except on highways having separate roadways of three or more lanes for each direction of travel, or on designated one-way streets or highways. This section shall not apply, however, to a motor vehicle passing two other vehicles when one or both of such other vehicles is a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped; nor shall this section apply to a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or moped passing two other vehicles.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13413,"edition_id":1,"name":"Reckless Driving and Improper Driving","identifier":"7","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12875,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:51","permalink":{"id":230871,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13413,"identifier":"7","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12875,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Traffic","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12827,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":230189,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12875,"identifier":"8","token":"46.2\/III\/8","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12827,"edition_id":1,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12770,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":228597,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12827,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12770,"edition_id":1,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":225289,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12770,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81167,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-852","catch_line":"Reckless driving; general rule","url":"\/46.2-852\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-852","metadata":false},{"id":79974,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-853","catch_line":"Driving vehicle which is not under control; faulty brakes","url":"\/46.2-853\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-853","metadata":false},{"id":82702,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-854","catch_line":"Passing on or at the crest of a grade or on a curve","url":"\/46.2-854\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-854","metadata":false},{"id":63229,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-855","catch_line":"Driving with driver's view obstructed or control impaired","url":"\/46.2-855\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-855","metadata":false},{"id":81455,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-856","catch_line":"Passing two vehicles abreast","url":"\/46.2-856\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-856","metadata":false},{"id":57560,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-857","catch_line":"Driving two abreast in a single lane","url":"\/46.2-857\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-857","metadata":false},{"id":55484,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-858","catch_line":"Passing at a railroad grade crossing","url":"\/46.2-858\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-858","metadata":false},{"id":54383,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-859","catch_line":"Passing a stopped school bus; prima facie evidence","url":"\/46.2-859\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-859","metadata":false},{"id":63384,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-860","catch_line":"Failing to give proper signals","url":"\/46.2-860\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-860","metadata":false},{"id":79399,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-861","catch_line":"Driving too fast for highway and traffic conditions","url":"\/46.2-861\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-861","metadata":false},{"id":55489,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-861.1","catch_line":"Drivers to yield right-of-way or reduce speed when approaching stationary vehicles displaying certain warning lights on highways; penalties","url":"\/46.2-861.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-861.1","metadata":false},{"id":81999,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-862","catch_line":"Exceeding speed limit","url":"\/46.2-862\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-862","metadata":false},{"id":59229,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-863","catch_line":"Failure to yield right-of-way","url":"\/46.2-863\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-863","metadata":false},{"id":57003,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-864","catch_line":"Reckless driving on parking lots, etc","url":"\/46.2-864\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-864","metadata":false},{"id":69860,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-865","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Racing or exhibition driving; definitions; penalties","url":"\/46.2-865\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-865","metadata":false},{"id":71115,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-865.1","catch_line":"Injuring another or causing the death of another while engaging in a race or exhibition driving; penalties.","url":"\/46.2-865.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-865.1","metadata":false},{"id":86611,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-866","catch_line":"Racing or exhibition driving; aiders or abettors; penalty.","url":"\/46.2-866\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-866","metadata":false},{"id":73373,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-867","catch_line":"Racing; seizure of motor vehicle","url":"\/46.2-867\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-867","metadata":false},{"id":79469,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-867.1","catch_line":"Exhibition driving; impoundment of motor vehicle.","url":"\/46.2-867.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-867.1","metadata":false},{"id":71700,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-868","catch_line":"Reckless driving; penalties","url":"\/46.2-868\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-868","metadata":false},{"id":64733,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-868.1","catch_line":"Aggressive driving; penalties","url":"\/46.2-868.1\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-868.1","metadata":false},{"id":72718,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-869","catch_line":"Improper driving; penalty","url":"\/46.2-869\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-869","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":63229,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-855","catch_line":"Driving with driver's view obstructed or control impaired","url":"\/46.2-855\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-855","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":57560,"structure_id":13413,"section_number":"46.2-857","catch_line":"Driving two abreast in a single lane","url":"\/46.2-857\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-857","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-856\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 17 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1952, chapter 671; in 1954, chapters 225, 401, and 458; in 1958, chapter 541; in 1960, chapter 510; in 1964, chapter 266; in 1966, chapter 694; in 1968, chapter 575; in 1970, chapter 521; in 1974, chapters 222 and 455; in 1975, chapter 633; in 1978, chapter 27; in 1979, chapter 86; in 1981, chapters 333 and 585; in 1985, chapter 148; in 1989, chapter 727; in 2001, chapter 834<\/a>; in 2002, chapter 254<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":230889,"object_type":"law","relational_id":81455,"identifier":"46.2-856","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-856","url":"\/46.2-856\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-856\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/7\/46.2-856","dublin_core":{"Title":"Passing two vehicles abreast","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-856","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A person shall be guilty of reckless driving<\/span> who passes or attempts to pass two other vehicles<\/span> abreast, moving in the same direction, except on highways<\/span><\/span> having separate roadways<\/span> of three or more lanes<\/span> for each direction of travel, or on designated one-way streets or highways<\/span><\/span>. This section shall not apply, however, to a motor vehicle<\/span> passing two other vehicles<\/span> when one or both of such other vehicles<\/span> is a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, or moped<\/span>; nor shall this section apply to a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device<\/span>, electric power-assisted bicycle<\/span>, or moped<\/span> passing two other vehicles<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPASSING TWO VEHICLES ABREAST (\u00a7 46.2-856)\n\nA person shall be guilty of reckless driving who passes or attempts to pass two\nother vehicles abreast, moving in the same direction, except on highways having\nseparate roadways of three or more lanes for each direction of travel, or on\ndesignated one-way streets or highways. This section shall not apply, however,\nto a motor vehicle passing two other vehicles when one or both of such other\nvehicles is a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric\npower-assisted bicycle, or moped; nor shall this section apply to a bicycle,\nelectric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, or\nmoped passing two other vehicles.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 46-209, 46-209.1; 1950, p. 880; 1952, c. 671; 1954, cc.\n225, 401, 458; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-190; 1960, c. 510; 1964, c. 266; 1966, c.\n694; 1968, c. 575; 1970, c. 521; 1974, cc. 222, 455; 1975, c. 633; 1978, c. 27;\n1979, c. 86; 1981, cc. 333, 585; 1985, c. 148; 1989, c. 727; 2001, c. 834; 2002,\nc. 254.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}