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New Mexico driving lesson · Communicating & Managing Space

Breakdowns & staying out of blind spots

A 3-minute lesson from the New Mexico course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Communicating & Managing Space
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
22

A stalled car that others can't see is a crash waiting to happen. Many crashes occur because a driver didn't see a stopped vehicle until too late. You also make yourself invisible when you ride in another driver's blind spot.

Know the rule

If your vehicle breaks down on a highway, make sure other drivers can see it. If available, use a 2-way radio or phone to notify authorities; many roads post the CB channel or number to call.

Handbook p. 22 ↗

If you have vehicle trouble and must stop:

  • Get the vehicle off the road and away from traffic if at all possible
  • Turn on your emergency flashers
  • If you can't get off the road, stop where others have a clear view (not just over a hill or around a curve)
  • Warn others: place emergency flares behind the vehicle so drivers can change lanes
  • Never stand in the roadway; don't change a tire if it means being in a traffic lane
Handbook p. 22 ↗

Know the rule

Place emergency flares behind your vehicle to warn traffic.

Handbook p. 22 ↗

Know the rule

Don't stop just over a hill or just around a curve, where approaching drivers can't see you.

Handbook p. 22 ↗

Know the rule

Don't drive in another vehicle's blind spot. Avoid driving on either side and slightly behind another vehicle; speed up or drop back.

Handbook p. 22 ↗

Know the rule

When passing, get through the other driver's blind spot as quickly as you can.

Handbook p. 22 ↗

Know the rule

Never stay alongside a large vehicle such as a truck or bus; its blind spots are large.

Handbook p. 22 ↗

Put it into practice

Your car overheats on a two-lane highway just past a curve. Coast further to a straight stretch where approaching drivers can see you, pull as far off the road as possible, turn on flashers, and set flares behind the car.

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.

If your vehicle breaks down on the highway, what should you turn on?
  1. Your emergency flashers
  2. Your high beams only
  3. Your parking lights only
  4. Your fog lights only

Answer: Your emergency flashers

Turn on your emergency flashers to show other drivers you're having trouble.

Handbook p. 22 ↗
Where should you try to place emergency flares if your vehicle breaks down?
  1. Beside the driver's door
  2. Behind the vehicle
  3. On the shoulder next to the car
  4. In front of the vehicle only

Answer: Behind the vehicle

Place emergency flares behind the vehicle so other drivers can change lanes if necessary.

Handbook p. 22 ↗
Why should you avoid driving directly beside and slightly behind another vehicle?
  1. You'd be following too closely
  2. You'd be in their blind spot
  3. It blocks their view of road signs
  4. It's against the law everywhere

Answer: You'd be in their blind spot

Driving on either side and slightly to the rear of another vehicle puts you in their blind spot.

Handbook p. 22 ↗
Why should you never linger alongside a large truck or bus?
  1. Their blind spots are large
  2. Their tires may throw gravel at you
  3. They must stay in the right lane
  4. Their drivers must yield to you

Answer: Their blind spots are large

Never stay alongside a large truck or bus — these vehicles have large blind spots.

Handbook p. 22 ↗
If your vehicle breaks down on the highway, you should turn on your emergency flashers.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

Turn on your emergency flashers to show you are having trouble.

Handbook p. 22 ↗
Large trucks and buses have smaller blind spots than passenger cars, so it's fine to linger beside them.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

Large trucks and buses have bigger blind spots, so you should never linger alongside them.

Handbook p. 22 ↗
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