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 the above: check your rearview mirror, check your side mirror and turn on your signal, and look over your left shoulder for traffic in your blind spot.
Why this is the answer
The Texas handbook treats a lane change as a set of checks, not one quick glance. Before you move, you check the rearview mirror, your side mirrors, and look over your shoulder in the blind spot so you know the roadway is clear and no other vehicle is passing you. You also turn on your left turn signal to warn drivers behind you. The handbook also says to check mirrors and blind spots before entering or leaving a lane, and to signal before changing lanes.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Look in your rearview mirror for traffic behind you before changing lanes. — Checking only the rearview mirror leaves out the side-mirror check, the shoulder blind-spot check, and the turn signal that belong with a lane change.
- B. Look over your left shoulder for traffic in your blind spot before changing lanes. — Looking only over your left shoulder leaves out the rearview mirror, side mirror, and turn signal checks.
- C. Look in your side mirror for traffic and turn on your directional signal. — Using only the side mirror and signal leaves out the rearview mirror and the over-the-shoulder blind-spot check.
Remember it
Mirrors, shoulder, signal: make all three part of every lane change.