Question

Difficulty: MediumWork Zone Safety and Construction Hazards

You are driving in the right lane of a multi-lane highway at night and approach a slow-moving shadow vehicle equipped with a flashing yellow arrow panel pointing up and to the left. Which of the following is the correct procedure for safely navigating past this moving work zone operation?

  1. Check your mirrors, signal, and change lanes into the open left lane as indicated by the arrow panel well before reaching the buffer space.Answer
  2. B
    Maintain your speed and current lane until reaching the rear bumper of the shadow vehicle, relying on your posted speed limit right-of-way.
  3. C
    Accelerate rapidly to pass the shadow vehicle using the right shoulder rather than merging into left-lane traffic.
  4. D
    Come to a complete stop in the active travel lane behind the shadow vehicle and wait for workers to manually wave you around.

Answer

Check mirrors, signal, and change lanes into the open left lane early as indicated by the arrow panel.
Flashing arrow panels mounted on shadow vehicles or truck-mounted attenuators provide advance warning to guide drivers out of a closed lane. Moving into the designated lane early provides a safe buffer zone for road workers and prevents sudden last-minute lane changes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify temporary traffic control devices
Recognize the shadow vehicle's flashing arrow panel pointing up-left as a direction to vacate the right lane.
Shadow vehicles protect mobile maintenance crews by absorbing impacts and warning drivers to merge early.
2
Execute safe lane change procedure
Scan mirrors, check blind spots, signal left, and move smoothly into the adjacent open lane.
Merging early maintains traffic flow and creates a safe buffer zone for maintenance personnel.

Key Concept

Moving Work Zone Navigation and Arrow Board Interpretation
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