When changing lanes, you can check your blind spot by:
- Using the inside rearview mirror.
- Turning your head and looking over your shoulder. ✓
- Using your side mirror.
Answer: B. Turning your head and looking over your shoulder.
You check your blind spot by turning your head and looking over your shoulder.
Why this is the answer
The handbook defines blind spots as areas around the vehicle you cannot see by looking straight ahead or by using the mirrors. It says to check them by looking over your right and left shoulders out of the side windows, and to turn only your head, not your whole body or the steering wheel. It lists checking blind spots before changing lanes. That is why the shoulder check is the answer: the mirrors alone do not show those side areas.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Using the inside rearview mirror. — Using the inside rearview mirror does not work because the handbook says blind spots are areas you cannot see using the mirrors.
- C. Using your side mirror. — Using a side mirror does not work because the handbook says the mirrors do not let you see the blind spots; you need to look over your shoulder.
Remember it
Mirrors first, then a quick head turn: your shoulder check covers what the glass misses.
Official handbook: California Driver Handbook (DL 600), Section 8: Safe Driving, p. 58