A 3-minute lesson from the Maine course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Backing is where drivers see the least, so do as little of it as you can and go slowly. And when you're parked or waiting, turning the engine off saves fuel and cuts pollution.
Know the rule
Check behind the vehicle before you get in. Children and small objects are hard to see from the driver's seat.
Idling wastes an estimated 6 billion gallons of fuel a year and creates pollutants linked to cancer, heart and lung disease such as asthma, impaired brain development in children and cognitive decline in older adults.
Pulling into a parking lot, you have room to back into the space. Doing so means you'll leave driving forward, with a clear view of traffic and pedestrians, instead of backing out blind.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
Why shouldn't you rely solely on your mirrors or back-up camera while backing?
They reverse left and right
They don't show everything directly behind the vehicle
They work only in daylight
They are made for forward driving
Answer: They don't show everything directly behind the vehicle
Mirrors do not show the area directly behind your vehicle, and back-up cameras give a limited view.