“Before you can move off, you must make absolutely sure that it is safe to do so. In order to do this, you will need to check your interior mirror and door mirrors, but you will also need to check your blind spots.
Blind spots are the areas that are not covered by your car mirrors or are masked by the vehicle’s structure. The blind spots can be large enough to hide vehicles and other road users from view.
Start with a quick glance over your left shoulder, followed by your passenger door mirror. You are looking for anything that could cause danger, for example bicycles or kids on scooters/skateboards. If there are no problems, you shouldn’t need to check these again before moving as long as you move off fairly quickly.
Next, check your interior mirror for vehicles from behind. When the road is clear in your interior mirror, check your driver’s door mirror and look over your right shoulder to check your right blind spot.
While learning, you can remember these observation checks as the six point check, to remind yourself of the areas you might need to check to ensure that it is safe to move. This method is suggested as a guideline only. As you gain experience, effective observation will become habitual. The six point check is:
– Your left shoulder
– The left door mirror
– The interior mirror
– The road ahead
– The right door mirror
– Your right shoulder
The most important thing is knowing what’s happening all around the car before you move.
Repeated and unnecessary left shoulder and mirror checks could mean that you miss safe opportunites to move, because of the time spent looking around. This is why the six point check is only a guide.
The reason for checking the left blind spot is to make sure there are no problems on the footpath or a driveway or other openings that is immediately behind and to the left. If you are sure this area is clear, you don’t need to keep checking.
When you know what is happening all around the car, you need to decide whether to give a right signal to show that you are intending to move off. You will only need to signal when you move off when it will be of use or help to another road user.
Do not signal as a habit simply because you are moving off. If there is no one to benefit from a signal, it will be a waste of time. Habitual, unnecessary signals can also cause problems. By signalling habitually, you run the risk of forgetting the necessary observation checks.
You might need to signal for pedestrians, cyclists, opposing drivers, drivers emerging ahead or traffic behind. In fact, for anyone who will benefit.
Be careful not to mislead others with signals. For example, sitting with your signal on while several cars pass you could be confusing for other drivers. Mistimed signals can also be dangerous, for example putting on your signal just as a cyclists or motorcyclists is about to pass you could startle them into braking hard or swerving.
The key points are:
– Check all around the car before moving off
– The six point check is a handy way of remembering the places you need to look
– Take care to ensure nothing is hidden in your blindspots
– Give a signal if it will help or warn others
– Don’t give signals out of habit
– Be careful not to give misleading signals”
