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.
You should walk to the back of the car to be sure the way is clear.
Why this is the answer
The New York manual says that before you back out of a driveway or into one, you should get out of the vehicle and check behind it. It also says not to rely only on mirrors when children are near. Children playing nearby may be outside what you can see well from the driver's seat, so stepping out and looking behind the car is how you confirm the path is clear before you move.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Rev your engine to warn the children that you are moving. — Revving the engine is not described in the manual as a way to check that the area behind the car is clear, and it does not replace getting out to look.
- B. Sound your horn so the children will hear you. — Sounding the horn is not the manual's instruction here; the manual tells you to get out and check behind the vehicle before backing out.
- D. Tell the children to stay away from the driveway. — Telling the children to stay away is not the check the manual requires; you still need to get out and see for yourself that the way is clear.
Remember it
When children are close, stop, step out, and look behind the car before you back up.