Get Back in the Habit:

CHANGING LANES while driving feels like an everyday task, but when leaving a lane of travel and merging into another, always remember that safety is key. It’s vital for a driver to ensure that the lane is clear before moving into it. Even for experienced drivers, it can be easy to forget to perform a shoulder check more than once, or to rely solely on mirrors or driver assistance signals to let us know of a potential obstruction, but this is dangerous. Checking twice can help prevent collisions and hazardous situations.

Improper lane changes contribute to an average of 290 casualty collisions in the province every year, according to annual statistics from Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors. Getting back in the habit of making lane changes safely can help dramatically reduce that number. And it’s an easy step — or should we say, shoulder check — to take to improve the safety of everyone sharing the road, including cyclists, pedestrians, other drivers and yourself.

Remember that even if your vehicle has advanced driver assistance technology (ADAS) and sends out a warning signal when there’s an obstruction, you still need to shoulder check — twice. “While technology can be helpful in assisting you behind the wheel, it doesn’t replace your responsibility as a driver,” says Jeff Kasbrick, AMA’s vice-president of advocacy and operations. “Everything’s in motion, and it’s possible somebody has moved into that area since you last checked.”

Remember that when changing lanes to pass a slower-moving vehicle, it’s your responsibility to do so safely and within the speed limit. Passing a slower-moving vehicle doesn’t give you a free pass to speed.

The goal, as always, is for everyone to get to their destination safely. Good driving habits — such as performing safe lane changes — will help get you, and others, there. AMA