SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/drive-lane-change-checks

What checks belong before every lane change?

Signal, check mirrors, then check the blind spot.

  1. Honk, brake, then move
  2. Signal, mirrors, shoulder check ✔
  3. Accelerate, then signal

Why: Mirrors do not show every nearby vehicle. Signal your plan, check mirrors and traffic, then look over your shoulder before moving.

Huh, didn't know that: A blind spot is an area beside and behind a vehicle that mirrors may not show.

The dad joke
Mirrors reflect on the past, but shoulder checks reveal the present.
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References

Answer: Signal, mirrors, shoulder check. Mirrors do not show every nearby vehicle. Signal your plan, check mirrors and traffic, then look over your shoulder before moving.

  1. California Driver's Handbook, Changing Lanes www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/navigating-the-roads
    Signal. Check your mirrors. Check traffic behind and beside you.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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