Ch. 5 · Driving Method

When changing lanes, you must always confirm that there is a safe distance even if the vehicle behind you has to apply sudden brakes before changing.

[True / False · Medium]

Answer: ✕ False

Explanation

The Rules of the Road state that you must not change lanes if a vehicle coming from behind would have to use sudden braking or sudden steering to avoid you. As an exception, there are cases where you must change lanes unavoidably, so the absolute expression "must always" is incorrect.

Driving school curriculumStage 1 – Topic 10: Lane changes and similar maneuvers

Hikari
Hikari
That sounds super safe – always leave enough room even if they brake hard.
Misaki
Misaki
The statement is false. The word 'always' is the trap. You must not change if it forces sudden braking, but there are unavoidable exceptions where you must change lanes anyway.
Hikari
Hikari
So it's the absolute 'always' that makes it wrong?
Misaki
Misaki
Exactly. The principle is correct, but driving has emergencies – absolutes like 'always' or 'never' are usually false.

Source: Ch. 5 Driving Method · Section (第5節 進路変更など) · Rules of the Road, Ch.5 §5 (Changing course) — Signal at least 3 seconds before changing lanes or course; never change where a no-lane-change marking (yellow solid line on lane boundary) is in effect. Confirm safety by checking mirrors and blind spots.

🤖 Dig deeper with AI

Send this question's context to ChatGPT for a richer explanation. The prompt also asks the AI to point you back to this chapter's practice quiz.

🚀 Ask ChatGPT

If the button doesn't open ChatGPT, tap Copy and paste it into Claude, Gemini, or any other LLM you prefer. On a free plan, Claude (claude.ai) tends to produce more accurate explanations that respect this site's content.

← Back to all Ch. 5 questions

See the glossary for definitions of key terms.

Source content excerpted from the NPA “Rules of the Road” instructional manual, in the public domain under Japanese Copyright Act Article 13(2). Explanations are AI-assisted and copyrighted by the MenkyoQuest editorial team.