If you miss your highway exit, what should you do?

• A. Back up carefully in the lane you just traveled.
• B. Make a U-turn at the next available median.
• C. Stop and back up on the shoulder.
• D. Do not back up; continue to the next exit or safely exit.

Answer: (D)

Missing a highway exit means you should not back up on the highway. The safest and proper move is to continue to the next exit or safely exit there. Backing up in a travel lane is extremely dangerous because speeds are high and other drivers may not anticipate a vehicle reversing, leaving you with little time to react and a high risk of a serious crash. Turning around in a median or stopping on the shoulder to back up is typically illegal and dangerous for the same reason. The safer course is to stay in your lane, maintain your speed and distance, and use the next exit to exit the highway, then navigate back to your destination via surface streets or approved routes.