What must you do before changing lanes when driving a commercial vehicle?

Before changing lanes when driving a commercial vehicle, it is essential to signal your intention and check mirrors and blind spots. This practice is critical for ensuring safety on the road. Signaling your intention alerts other road users of your plans, allowing them to adjust their own driving accordingly.

Furthermore, checking mirrors and blind spots provides you with a comprehensive view of the surrounding traffic. Commercial vehicles have larger blind spots compared to passenger vehicles, making it crucial to be aware of other vehicles that may not be visible in your mirrors. By thoroughly checking these areas, you can help prevent accidents that could occur from an unexpected lane change in front of another vehicle.

Moving quickly to change lanes may increase the risk of collisions as it does not allow sufficient time for you to ensure the lane is clear. Relying solely on the rearview mirror would neglect the blind spots, which are especially large in a commercial vehicle. Assuming other vehicles will yield can be dangerous as it ignores the principle of proactive driving and the responsibility to ensure your own safety and that of others. Thus, clear signaling and thorough checking of your surroundings are critical steps in the safe operation of a commercial vehicle when changing lanes.