What does the California manual say about slowing down before a lane change?
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A.
Slow to at least 5 mph below the speed of traffic
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B.
Slowing down is not necessary before the change Correct
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C.
Slow enough to check your mirrors and blind spots
The answer is "Slowing down is not necessary before the change"
The manual is explicit: slowing down before a routine lane change is not necessary. Drivers who assume any careful maneuver calls for a speed reduction apply that street instinct here, but the rule wants you staying with the flow of traffic rather than holding it up behind you.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Slow to at least 5 mph below the speed of traffic
The manual does not require you to slow down before a routine lane change. This answer borrows the slower approach used for turns and off-ramp exits.
C. Slow enough to check your mirrors and blind spots
Mirror and blind-spot checks are required, but the manual does not tie slowing to those checks. This answer bundles a speed reduction onto the careful checks that the printed steps list on their own.
This question tests your knowledge of Lane Changes & Merging in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Changing Lanes," p.15..
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