Why can it be dangerous to overtake on an unobscured, straight road?

When overtaking on a clear, straight road, drivers often misjudge key factors that can make the maneuver dangerous. First, they may think an oncoming vehicle is farther away than it really is (point 1), leading to risky decisions. Second, they might underestimate the speed of the oncoming vehicle (point 2), causing the overtaking driver to miscalculate how quickly the opposing car will arrive. Third, they often believe the distance needed to complete the overtaking safely is shorter than it actually is (point 3), which can result in not having enough space to return to their lane in time. Together, these misjudgments increase the risk of collisions during overtaking, so caution and accurate assessment are essential even on clear roads.