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How to Merge Onto the Highway Without Crashing

The following is a description of how you should merge onto a highway safely as well as without endangering or harming yourself or others.

1. Make sure you are going at the same speed as the traffic you are merging with when you hit the point at which the ramp merges with the highway. This is very important so that those coming up behind you on the highway do not hit you from behind.
2. Put your turn signal on so that the cars on the highway knows you are merging into their lane.
3. Look first in your driver's side rearview mirror as well as then quickly glance out towards the left (when driving in right-side driving countries) as well as behind you to see if there is any car in your blind spot (the blind spot is the spot that every car has where you cannot see which is really close to you but one lane over behind you).
4. Determine if you have room to merge onto the highway, if you do not (a car is currently beside you) you will have to speed up or down until you have ample space to merge into.
5. Gradually, never abruptly, merge into the lane, following the natural path of the merging ramp. Make sure to maintain your speed, which should be the same speed as the cars in the right lane on the highway.

• Always turn your head as well as look, don't just use the rearview mirror, as you will miss cars in your blind spot.
• Make sure you are going fast enough to merge safely.
• Pay attention as well as do not be distracted by other things
• If you are really nervous as well as there are others in the car, ask them to be quiet so you can focus.
• Try to merge into traffic with at least one car length of space in front as well as behind of your vehicle.
• Remember to check if you can stay in the lane you have just merged into. In many major cities, the right-most lane is a commuter lane that is only open during certain hours.
• Always keep an eye on how much of the merge lane remains. Merge lanes, even on the same highway can vary greatly in length.
• If you cannot merge onto the highway, as well as have the option to exit, do so. You can always loop around as well as try again.

• Don't forget to put your turn signal on. It is the best signal to the traffic in the merging lane of what you are about to do.
• Sometimes, there may be no merge area at the end of the ramp. This will be clearly indicated by signs such as "No Merge Area" or "Yield". In this case you might have to slow down or even stop to make sure you are going to merge into an empty spot in the next lane.
• Remember that other drivers may be behind you also trying to merge. Try to provide them space to merge into as well, by moving another lane over if possible.
• Watch out for vehicles merging into your lane. Many entrances onto a highway are also the exit for the road you just came from.

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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006

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