Michigan Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Practice Exam

What immediate action should you take when you see an obstacle on the road?

1. Continue driving straight

2. Honk your horn

3. Attempt to swerve and avoid it

4. Stop the vehicle abruptly

The correct answer is: Attempt to swerve and avoid it

When you see an obstacle on the road, attempting to swerve and avoid it is the immediate action you should consider. This response is important because it allows you to navigate around hazards rather than directly colliding with them, which could lead to significant damage to your vehicle, injury, or worse. Swerving can help in situations where the obstacle is something that could cause serious harm if struck, like another vehicle or a pedestrian. However, it's essential to execute this maneuver carefully, ensuring that the surrounding lane(s) are clear and that this action will not lead to a secondary hazard, such as hitting another vehicle or losing control of your own. Choosing to continue driving straight may result in a collision with the obstacle, while honking the horn does not remove the threat but can alert others to your presence. Stopping the vehicle abruptly could potentially create a chain reaction with other vehicles behind you, causing rear-end accidents. Thus, the safest and most effective choice is to maneuver the vehicle to avoid the obstacle while ensuring that it can be done safely.