What can you do to avoid the need to make emergency stops while driving in traffic?
- Honk your horn to make others aware of your presence.
- Look ahead and maintain a safe following distance. ✓
- Drive in the right lane only.
- Drive more slowly than the flow of traffic.
Answer: B. Look ahead and maintain a safe following distance.
You can look ahead and maintain a safe following distance to avoid needing emergency stops.
Why this is the answer
The Texas handbook says to drive at the same speed as the main stream of traffic and stay aware of how fast you are going. It also says to keep a safe distance from the car ahead, with a larger gap at higher speeds and in poor road conditions. A defensive driving approach uses space management to protect you from unexpected situations. Looking ahead and leaving that following gap gives you room to adjust before you must brake hard.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Honk your horn to make others aware of your presence. — Honking does not create the space or awareness the handbook describes for preventing sudden stops in traffic.
- C. Drive in the right lane only. — The passages do not say that staying only in the right lane prevents emergency stops; they say to drive with the main stream of traffic.
- D. Drive more slowly than the flow of traffic. — Driving slower than the flow of traffic goes against the handbook's guidance to drive at the same speed as the main stream.
Remember it
Treat the space ahead as your stopping room: the faster you go, the more following time you need.