How to Merge on the Freeway

Ever since the 1930s, when the country first started building a national freeway system, thousands of drivers have experienced the ups and downs of driving to work on a freeway or a highway. One of the most common lane changes that you will make when commuting via freeway is a merge. Freeways require that all entering drivers merge onto the freeway from the right hand lane into the left corresponding parallel lane. This can be easily stated in a traffic text book, yet hard to actually do. Here is how to safely merge lanes on the freeway.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Desire to drive on freeway
• Driver license
• Vehicle

How to Merge on the Freeway

1. Enter the on-ramp and accelerate. Once you have made your way onto the freeway ramp, you will want to accelerate so you can meet up with the speed on the traffic on the freeway before your merge lane ends.
2. Watch approaching drivers and use your mirrors. Always keep an on eye on the drivers behind you on the entrance ramp, quite often they will take no heed of you and zip on by. If they do this let them, as it is much safer to wait until it is clear.
3. Signal to change lanes. Once you deem the merge lane safe enough to enter, be sure to check your mirrors again and turn on your turning signal to let other drivers know you intend to change lanes.
4. Merge. Glance once over your shoulder just to make sure that there are no cars approaching in your blind spots, and then quickly make the lane change. After you have changed lanes you can turn off your turning signal.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember defensive driving is the key. It’s better to wait a few more minutes than it is to experience an accident and ruin your day, week, month and year.
• Always obey all traffic laws and posted speed limits; they are in place for good reasons.