When changing lanes on a freeway, you should:
- Signal for at least five seconds. ✓
- Slow down before you start to change lanes.
- Assume there is enough space in the next lane for your vehicle, if you signal first.
Answer: A. Signal for at least five seconds.
When changing lanes on a freeway, signal for at least five seconds before you make the lane change.
Why this is the answer
The California Driver Handbook says to signal before every lane change, and it gives a specific freeway rule: signal at least five seconds before changing lanes on a freeway. That matches the action the question asks for. The handbook also says to signal even when you do not see other vehicles around you, so the signal is not meant to be a quick flick only when traffic is visible. The other choices are not supported by the handbook passages.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Slow down before you start to change lanes. — The handbook does not instruct you to slow down before starting a freeway lane change; its stated rule is to signal at least five seconds before the change.
- C. Assume there is enough space in the next lane for your vehicle, if you signal first. — A signal does not make the next lane automatically safe; the handbook says to merge into a space large enough for your vehicle and to check blind spots before changing lanes.
Remember it
On a freeway, count five seconds of signal before the lane change, not just a quick flick.