When is it acceptable to skip a shoulder check?

Shoulder checks are a critical part of safe driving, as they help drivers confirm their surroundings and ensure that there are no hazards in their blind spots. The context for when it might be acceptable to skip a shoulder check is primarily related to situations where it's not necessary to look for vehicles or obstacles in adjacent lanes.

When judging your following distance, the driver is primarily focused on the vehicle in front. In this situation, the driver is assessing how far back they are and determining safe stopping distances but is not required to check the shoulder since they are not changing lanes or merging where other vehicles might be present. This does not mean that shoulder checks are unnecessary in general driving and lane changes, but rather that the specific action of simply maintaining the correct following distance does not require one in that moment.

Consequently, when driving, it's crucial to perform shoulder checks during lane changes, merges, or turns, as these maneuvers may require awareness of other vehicles that could be in your blind spots. However, in the context of merely observing the vehicle in front and maintaining an appropriate gap, a shoulder check is not deemed necessary.