When moving off, you must always make sure that it's clear and safe. This is one thing that your driving instructor will stress time and time again during your driving lessons.

As you sit in the car you can see clearly to the front, your mirrors will show you what's behind, but there will be some areas around the car that need special attention. 

These are the blind spots.

A blind spot is an are area that cannot be seen clearly in the mirrors or that is masked by parts of the car's structure. When moving off, the areas behind your left and right shoulders are critical. 

For example, a car emerging from a gateway that is just behind and to the right would not be visible in the mirrors - if you moved off without seeing it you could collide.

To compensate, you need to check over your right shoulder before moving off from the left-hand side of the road.

You will find much more information about moving off in the SmartLearners Online course.

This information is not only essential for safety during your driving lessons - it is absolutely essential for safe driving after you pass the driving test.