A 3-minute lesson from the South Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
On roads with several lanes going the same way, crashes often happen when drivers go faster or slower than everyone else. Change lanes deliberately, merge at traffic speed, and slow down in crowded places.
Changing lanes:
Check your mirrors
Check your blind spots
Identify a gap, signal, then look again toward the new lane
An area around the vehicle you can't see in the mirrors, set by the vehicle's design and roof pillars. Dirty windshields and glare can create temporary ones.
Before lane changes or turns, quickly turn your head to look for hidden pedestrians or vehicles. Avoid driving in others' blind spots, especially near commercial vehicles.
Going much slower than traffic is just as dangerous and can get you ticketed for impeding traffic. If vehicles line up behind you, pull over when safe and let them pass.
Entering traffic: use the acceleration lane to reach traffic speed; don't drive to its end and stop. If you must wait, slow down on the ramp to leave room to speed up. Yield to traffic already on the road.
Leaving traffic: don't slow down until you're on the exit ramp. Turning off a high-speed two-lane road with traffic behind, don't slow too early; tap the brakes and reduce speed.
Farm tractors, animal-drawn vehicles and road maintenance vehicles usually go 25 mph or less. Slow down and, if possible, move left to pass; never pass on the right.
Large trucks and small cars may lose speed on long or steep uphill climbs and take longer to get up to speed when entering traffic. Bikes may lack reflectors or lights.
You're merging onto I-90 from an on-ramp. Use the acceleration lane to match the speed of traffic, find your gap, and merge. Stopping at the end of the ramp would leave no room to get up to speed, and the driver behind may not expect it.
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.
What are 'blind spots'?
Areas covered by the rearview mirror
Areas directly in front of the vehicle
Areas not visible in your mirrors
Areas lit poorly by your headlights
Answer: Areas not visible in your mirrors
Blind spots are areas around the vehicle where your view is obstructed and not visible in the mirrors.