Space around your vehicle — Missouri Permit Test

You can help a driver behind you keep a safe distance by keeping a steady speed and signaling in advance when you slow down.

The driver behind can only react to what you show them. A steady speed is the easiest thing to follow.

you can help keep the driver at a safe distance by keeping a steady speed, and signaling in advance when you slow down

If you are tailgated and there is a right lane, move over to the right; if there is no right lane, wait until the road ahead is clear and reduce speed slowly.

The aim is to be passed, which ends the problem. Slowing gently invites it; slowing hard causes a crash.

If there is no right lane, wait until the road ahead is clear and then reduce speed slowly.

Never slow down quickly to discourage a tailgater, because that only increases your risk of being hit from behind.

Braking at someone who is already too close removes the only thing keeping you apart.

Never slow down quickly to discourage a tailgater. This will only increase your risk of being hit from behind.

Avoid driving next to other vehicles on multi-lane roads, because someone may crowd your lane or pull into you.

Beside another car you have nowhere to go sideways. Moving ahead or dropping back restores the option.

Someone may crowd your lane or try to change lanes and pull into you.

On a two-lane road, keep as much space as you can between yourself and oncoming vehicles by not crowding the center line.

The center line is the closest you will come to another car all day. A foot of room there is worth more than anywhere else.

On a two-lane road, this means not crowding the center line. In general, it is safest to drive in the center of your lane.

Keep extra space between your vehicle and parked vehicles, because someone could step out or a parked vehicle could pull out.

Parked cars hide people and hide their own intentions. Space is the only defense against both.

Someone could step out from a parked vehicle, from between vehicles, or a parked vehicle could pull out.

Give extra space to pedestrians and bicyclists, especially children, because they may move into your path quickly and without warning.

A child changes direction without checking. Space is what turns that into a near miss.

Give extra space to pedestrians or bicyclists, especially children. They may move into your path quickly and without warning.

When possible, take potential hazards one at a time, for example by slowing to let an oncoming vehicle pass before overtaking a bicycle.

Two hazards at once forces a compromise. Meeting them in turn lets you give each one full room.

if you are overtaking a bicycle and an oncoming vehicle is approaching, slow down and let the vehicle pass first so you can give extra room to the bicycle

Make room for vehicles entering a multi-lane roadway; if there is no vehicle in the lane next to you, move over a lane.

Moving over costs you nothing and removes the merge entirely.

Make room for vehicles entering on a multi-lane roadway. If there is not a vehicle in the lane next to you, move over a lane.

How can you help the driver behind keep a safe distance?

Keep a steady speed and signal in advance when slowing. The driver behind can only react to what you show them. A steady speed is the easiest thing to follow. Missouri Driver Guide, p.57: “you can help keep the driver at a safe distance by keeping a steady speed, and signaling in advance when you slow down”