What should you always do before changing lanes?

Before changing lanes, it is essential to check your mirrors and blind spots to ensure it is safe to do so. This practice helps you to be aware of other vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians that may not be visible in your mirrors. Checking your mirrors allows you to see the traffic immediately around you, while looking into your blind spots ensures that you are aware of any vehicles that may be in your path but out of your line of sight.

This process helps prevent accidents and promotes safe driving habits by ensuring you have a clear understanding of your surroundings. Using your turn signal is also important for indicating your intent to other drivers, but it should not replace the necessity of checking your surrounding area for safety. Honking your horn is not necessary and could startle other drivers, and speeding up could increase the risk of a collision if another vehicle is already in the lane you want to enter. Therefore, the correct and most responsible action to take before changing lanes is to check your mirrors and blind spots.