California DMV Permit Test (Class C)Rules of the Road and Right-of-WayHard
You are driving on a freeway and realize you need to take an exit that is less than a quarter-mile ahead. You are currently in the far left lane of a three-lane freeway. What is the safest and most appropriate action to take?
- ABrake hard and try to cut across all lanes to make the exit.
- BSignal and slow down while waiting for a gap to force your way into the exit lane.
- CQuickly change three lanes to the right, signaling continuously.
- DProceed past the exit and take the next available exit.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Proceed past the exit and take the next available exit.
Attempting to make a last-minute, multi-lane change to take an exit is extremely dangerous and can cause collisions. The safest and most appropriate action is to miss the exit and proceed to the next one, then find an alternative route.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Hard braking and cutting across lanes is reckless driving and a major cause of freeway collisions.
- B. Signaling and slowing down to force entry is still dangerous as it disrupts traffic flow and relies on other drivers yielding to an unsafe maneuver.
- C. Rapid, multi-lane changes are highly dangerous, especially at freeway speeds, and can cause accidents.
Missed Freeway Exit
If you miss your intended freeway exit, the safest action is to continue to the next exit rather than attempting dangerous last-minute maneuvers.
- Never cut across lanes for an exit.
- Dangerous maneuvers cause accidents.
- Take the next exit and reroute.
Memory trick: Missed the exit? Next exit's your fix it!