You want to back out of your driveway. You see children playing nearby. Before you start to move your car, you should:
- Rev your engine to warn the children that you are moving.
- Sound your horn so the children will hear you.
- Walk to the back of the car to be sure the way is clear. ✓
- Tell the children to stay away from the driveway.
Answer: C. Walk to the back of the car to be sure the way is clear.
Before you move, walk to the back of the car and check that the way is clear.
Why this is the answer
The Florida handbook says to check behind your vehicle before you get in, and it gives the reason: children and small objects cannot be seen from the driver's seat. That is why getting out and looking behind the car yourself is the reliable step. It also fits with the handbook's point that blind spots near the rear of a vehicle cannot be seen in your rear-view mirrors, so a mirror check alone will not tell you whether a child is back there.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Rev your engine to warn the children that you are moving. — Revving the engine is just noise; it does not tell you whether a child is behind the car, and it does not make the space clear.
- B. Sound your horn so the children will hear you. — A horn may not be heard or understood by small children, and honking still leaves you guessing about what is behind the bumper.
- D. Tell the children to stay away from the driveway. — Telling children to stay away does not confirm the area is empty right now, and children may not follow or hear the instruction.
Remember it
If you cannot see a small child from the driver's seat, you have to go look with your own eyes before you move.