Which of these statements is true about changing lanes?
Answers
You only need to turn and look over your right shoulder for lane changes to the right or left.
Look over your right shoulder for a right lane change and your left shoulder for a left lane change.
Vehicles with two outside mirrors do not have blind spots.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
Look over your right shoulder for a right lane change and your left shoulder for a left lane change.
Explanation:
When changing lanes, it’s important to ensure that the lane you want to move into is clear of any vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles. To do this safely, you need to check your blind spots — areas around your vehicle that are not visible through your mirrors.
- Checking Over the Shoulder:
When preparing to change lanes, you should check your blind spot by looking over your shoulder in the direction of the lane change. For a right lane change, you look over your right shoulder, and for a left lane change, you look over your left shoulder. This helps you spot any vehicles or objects that may be in your blind spot, which are areas not covered by your mirrors. - Why Blind Spots Are Important:
Blind spots are areas around your car that mirrors can’t fully cover, particularly on the side or rear of your vehicle. Even with modern vehicles equipped with blind-spot detection systems or multiple mirrors, it’s still essential to physically check your blind spots by turning your head. This step can help prevent accidents caused by not noticing a car in the adjacent lane. - Mirrors and Blind Spots:
The statement “Vehicles with two outside mirrors do not have blind spots” is false. No matter how many mirrors a vehicle has, it is impossible to fully eliminate blind spots. Mirrors help with visibility, but they cannot cover every angle, especially at certain distances or when other vehicles are moving quickly. That’s why checking over your shoulder remains a crucial part of the lane-changing process.
By looking over your shoulder, you ensure you have full awareness of your surroundings before moving into another lane. This minimizes the risk of collisions, particularly with vehicles in your blind spot that may not be visible through your mirrors alone.