You are driving in the right lane of a multilane highway and want to move into the left lane. You should:
- Look in your rearview mirror for traffic behind you before changing lanes.
- Look over your left shoulder for traffic in your blind spot before changing lanes.
- Look in your side mirror for traffic and turn on your directional signal.
- All of the above. ✓
Answer: D. All of the above.
You should do all of these: check your rearview mirror, look over your left shoulder, and check your side mirror while signaling before moving into the left lane.
Why this is the answer
The manual's lane-change sequence is to check the mirrors and signal, then quickly look over your left shoulder through the back side window before moving into the left lane. It also warns that mirrors leave blind spots, so a shoulder check is needed even when the mirrors are adjusted properly. That makes the rearview-mirror check, the left-shoulder check, and the side-mirror-plus-signal step all part of one safe lane change, not alternatives.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Look in your rearview mirror for traffic behind you before changing lanes. — Checking the rearview mirror is useful, but by itself it leaves the blind spot unchecked and does not include signaling.
- B. Look over your left shoulder for traffic in your blind spot before changing lanes. — Looking over your left shoulder catches the blind spot, but the handbook also has you check mirrors and signal before the lane change.
- C. Look in your side mirror for traffic and turn on your directional signal. — Checking a side mirror and signaling are part of the move, but without the shoulder check you can miss a vehicle in the blind spot.
Remember it
Mirrors, signal, shoulder: do the full sweep before you slide left.