What should a rider do before making a lane change?

Before making a lane change, a rider should always signal and check blind spots. Signaling is essential because it informs other drivers and motorcyclists of your intention to change lanes, giving them the opportunity to react accordingly. However, signaling alone is not sufficient for safety.

Blind spots are areas around your vehicle that cannot be seen through mirrors. It’s crucial to check these blind spots to ensure that there are no vehicles, cyclists, or other obstacles present that could lead to a collision during the lane change. By combining signaling with checking blind spots, the rider can make a safe and informed decision to change lanes, minimizing the risk of accidents.

Other options like only signaling or just checking mirrors fail to account for the whole picture, as they do not provide comprehensive awareness of the surrounding traffic, which is critical for safe lane changes. Additionally, making a change quickly without signaling is reckless and can lead to dangerous situations on the road, such as near misses or crashes.

In essence, the correct approach is to signal and check blind spots, ensuring safety and communication with other road users.