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When should I look over my shoulder while driving?
I recently took my driving test for the first time, and I failed! The examiner said I didn’t look over my shoulder at key points. I thought I was only supposed to look over my shoulder when reversing. When should you do a shoulder check while driving?
Michelle Ballestrasse · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Failing your driver’s test is never fun, but if at first you don’t succeed, try again! We get it, though—it feels weird to take your eyes off of the road in front of you, especially since driver’s ed drills into you the necessity of keeping your eyes on the road.
But there are actually three situations where you should look over your shoulder while driving, and they all have to do with your car’s blind spots. Blind spots are the areas around your car that you can’t see from any of your mirrors.
Look over your shoulder when:
- Backing out of a space: You already nailed this one, but it’s important to look over your shoulder when reversing out of a parking space in case of pedestrians or oncoming cars.
- Changing lanes: Yourside and rearview mirrorsshould be used here too, of course, but you must look over your shoulder to make sure there are no small cars or motorcycles in your blind spot before changing lanes.
- Merging: Similar to changing lanes, you should use your mirrors and check over your shoulder when merging to make sure you’re matching speed with the car coming up behind you.
Just keep in mind that looking over your shoulder should be *quick while you’re moving—just long enough to know for sure that you’re in the clear. You should return your attention forward as soon as possible.
Safe driving is all about maintaining good driving habits, which keeps you and other drivers safe on the roads. In addition, it can save you money on your
car insurance
. To find the best rates, go to Jerry
.Jerry is a licensed insurance broker that can collect quotes from over 50 top-rated car insurance companies in minutes. After you find a great rate, Jerry can help you buy new insurance and cancel your old policy. Users save an average of $887 per year.
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