Before changing lanes on expressways, you should

• A. Check your rearview and side mirrors
• B. Signal early and check blind spots
• C. Accelerate to merge
• D. Brake abruptly

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is to establish awareness of what’s around you before moving. Checking your rearview and side mirrors gives you a clear view of traffic behind and in adjacent lanes, letting you judge whether there’s enough space to safely merge. This visibility is the essential first step to avoid sliding into another driver’s path or into a blind spot, and it helps you decide if you should wait for a bigger gap or slow down to let a gap open. After confirming space, you’d typically signal and then do a quick shoulder check to verify the blind spot, but the initial, most important move is to rely on your mirrors to understand the surrounding traffic. Signaling or checking the blind spot are important steps that complement this check, while accelerating to merge or braking abruptly would create unsafe conditions.