Change lanes in a smooth, continuous movement. Follow the steps below to make sure that a lane change is made safely.
- Glance in mirrors to check the traffic behind you and to find breaks in traffic.
- Check the blind spot by looking over your shoulder into the lane you wish to occupy. Avoid driving in other vehicles' blind spots.
- Signal.
- Make sure the space is empty – check the mirror and look over your shoulder again.
- Change lanes by moving into a break in traffic flow.
- Steer your vehicle to the center in the new lane. Avoid weaving between lanes.
- Turn off the signal.
Problems to watch for:
- Failing to check the rearview mirror.
- Failing to look over your shoulder.
- Checking over your shoulder too long while the vehicle drifts from its path or gets dangerously close to vehicles ahead.
- Not knowing if there is enough room to change lanes. At first, you should make the judgment: look over your shoulder and still stay in the lane until it is safe to change lanes.
