You are following another vehicle in city traffic and cannot see the inside rear-view mirror of the car ahead. What does this most likely mean?
-
A.
You are probably in the driver's blind spot. Correct
-
B.
You are following at a safe distance from the vehicle.
-
C.
The mirror on the vehicle ahead has been knocked out.
-
D.
The driver is watching you through the outside mirrors.
The answer is "You are probably in the driver's blind spot."
The manual's blind-spot warning uses the other driver's inside mirror as the reference: if that mirror is not in your line of sight, you are probably in the driver's blind spot too, so shift back or over until the mirror comes back into view. Choice D comes from having learned "mirror eye contact means the driver sees you" and reversing it, treating a missing view of the mirror as evidence the other driver is still watching you through the side mirror.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. You are following at a safe distance from the vehicle.
The mirror test measures lateral position beside a vehicle, not how many car lengths sit behind it. Reaches for the two-second following rule out of habit and applies it to a question about being seen, which is a sideways problem, not a behind-you one.
C. The mirror on the vehicle ahead has been knocked out.
The manual uses the mirror as a stand-in for line of sight, not as a report on the other car's equipment. Jumps to a mechanical failure because a mirror is named, when the rule is about geometry between the two vehicles.
D. The driver is watching you through the outside mirrors.
A missing view of the driver's inside mirror is the manual's warning that you are likely unseen, not confirmation that the driver has spotted you in the side mirror. Flips the 'mirror eye contact means the driver sees you' shortcut, treating an absent view as evidence the driver is still watching you.
This question tests your knowledge of Lane Changes & Merging in North Carolina. Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, "City Driving," p.63..
Related North Carolina questions
- When should you turn on your signal for a lane change? →
- You are approaching an intersection to make a turn and realize you are not in the proper lane. What does the manual say to do? →
- You are following a tractor-trailer that begins to signal. Before you try to pass, the manual says you should: →
- The manual warns that when you drive beside a large truck, the wind currents from the truck can: →
- The manual says to avoid driving side-by-side with another vehicle. Why? →
You just took one North Carolina question apart. The book does it for the whole test.
The North Carolina book unlocks a free companion: an adaptive study plan, progress synced across your devices, a denser laminate cheat sheet, and a test-day walkthrough. Verify your copy once, usually in seconds; there's nothing extra to buy.
Paperback, free companion included.