Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Practice Exam

The act of noticing a crash or accident while driving may often lead to which behavior?

1. Acceleration

2. Rubbernecking

3. Lane changing

4. Distracted driving

The correct answer is: Rubbernecking

The behavior referred to as rubbernecking occurs when drivers slow down or turn their heads to look at the scene of a crash or accident. This instinctive reaction can be driven by curiosity or concern about the situation as it unfolds. Rubbernecking is significant because it not only disrupts the flow of traffic, but it also poses a safety risk, as drivers may take their attention away from the road ahead, increasing the likelihood of additional accidents. While other options might represent potential responses to an accident, they do not capture the specific act of observing an incident that leads to a slower pace or distraction. Accelerating typically suggests a desire to distance oneself from the site quickly, lane changing could involve navigating around the accident rather than actively observing it, and distracted driving refers broadly to any form of inattention while driving, which could be a result of rubbernecking but does not illustrate the act of noticing the crash itself directly. Rubbernecking directly connects the act of noticing an accident with a behavioral response, making it the most fitting choice.