In taking action to avoid a collision, a vessel must ensure it does not create what?

• A. A new close quarters situation
• B. A violation of speed limits
• C. An unnecessary delay
• D. A change in course that is too subtle to observe

Answer: (A)

When you take action to avoid a collision, the priority is to reduce risk without creating a new hazard. The best practice is to ensure your maneuver does not generate a new close‑quarters situation, where two vessels are near enough that safe maneuvering becomes highly constrained. A close‑quarters scenario means the risk of collision could be increased because neither vessel may have clear room to maneuver, or each vessel may misjudge the other's actions. So the key idea is to avoid any action that transfers danger into a tighter, harder-to-manage situation with another vessel.

The other considerations matter too—staying within speed limits, avoiding unnecessary delays, and ensuring any course change is clearly observable—but they do not address the fundamental danger that a maneuver could create a fresh, dangerous proximity.