How can you determine if it is safe to change lanes?

To determine if it is safe to change lanes, it's essential to check your mirrors and blind spot. This step is crucial because it provides a comprehensive view of the traffic situation around your vehicle.

Using your mirrors allows you to see vehicles approaching from behind and alongside you in adjacent lanes. However, mirrors have limitations; they may not fully capture the presence of vehicles that are in your blind spots—areas that are not visible through rear-view or side mirrors. By physically turning your head to check your blind spot, you confirm that there are no obstacles or vehicles that could pose a danger while changing lanes.

This combination of using mirrors and checking the blind spot is fundamental to making safe driving decisions and helps prevent collisions, ensuring that lane changes are performed safely and responsibly.

The other options do not encompass the comprehensive safety checks needed. Relying solely on a rear-view mirror does not account for vehicles that may be in your blind spot. Changing lanes without checking is unsafe, as it significantly increases the risk of an accident. Following the vehicle in front may not provide an accurate assessment of what is happening in adjacent lanes or behind you. Therefore, the thorough approach of checking mirrors and blind spots is the most effective way to ensure lane change safety.