Which checks should you perform before passing another vehicle?

Which checks should you perform before passing another vehicle?

• A. Use your horn and flashers
• B. Only signal briefly
• C. Use your mirrors and perform a head check
• D. Ignore blind spots

Answer: (C)

Before you move out to pass, it’s essential to scan what’s around you. Using your mirrors lets you see vehicles behind and to the sides, but your mirrors don’t reveal everything, especially in your blind spots. A head check—looking over your shoulder into the lane you plan to enter—confirms there isn’t a car or motorcycle lurking in those blind spots. This combination is the only reliable way to know you have safe space to complete the pass. Relying on a horn and flashers doesn’t tell you whether there’s room to slip in, and signaling briefly only alerts others without guaranteeing there’s actually a clear path. Ignoring blind spots is dangerous because a vehicle can appear in that hidden area just as you start to move out. So, the best practice is a thorough mirror check plus a deliberate head turn to verify the lane is clear before you pass.

Before you move out to pass, it’s essential to scan what’s around you. Using your mirrors lets you see vehicles behind and to the sides, but your mirrors don’t reveal everything, especially in your blind spots. A head check—looking over your shoulder into the lane you plan to enter—confirms there isn’t a car or motorcycle lurking in those blind spots. This combination is the only reliable way to know you have safe space to complete the pass.

Relying on a horn and flashers doesn’t tell you whether there’s room to slip in, and signaling briefly only alerts others without guaranteeing there’s actually a clear path. Ignoring blind spots is dangerous because a vehicle can appear in that hidden area just as you start to move out. So, the best practice is a thorough mirror check plus a deliberate head turn to verify the lane is clear before you pass.