What is the safest method to check for vehicles before changing lanes?

The safest method to check for vehicles before changing lanes is to check mirrors and turn your head. This approach combines the use of mirrors, which provide a broader view of the vehicles around you, with a physical head check that allows you to see any potential blind spots that mirrors might miss. By checking your mirrors, you can assess the position of vehicles behind and beside you. However, mirrors can have limitations in terms of visibility, especially in what are known as blind spots, which are areas around your vehicle that mirrors might not cover effectively.

Turning your head allows you to directly observe these blind spots and get a clear view of any vehicles approaching or occupying that space, ensuring that you are making a safer lane change. This combination of using both mirrors and head checks is recommended as it provides comprehensive awareness of your surroundings, reducing the risk of collisions.

The other methods do not offer the same level of thoroughness. Simply looking over your shoulder may miss important information from your mirrors. Signaling and changing lanes immediately fails to ensure that the lane is clear, putting you at risk. Relying solely on the rearview mirror does not account for vehicles in the blind spots. Thus, the integrated approach of checking both mirrors and turning your head is recognized as