What should you do to safely merge onto the highway?

To safely merge onto the highway, it is essential to accelerate to highway speed before merging. This action is crucial because highways are designed for high-speed travel, and merging at or near the speed of the existing traffic helps to minimize disruption and potential hazards. When you match the speed of the vehicles already on the highway, you reduce the chances of causing abrupt changes in the speed of traffic, which can lead to collisions.

Preparing to merge also involves using your turn signals to indicate your intentions to other drivers, creating awareness of your actions. Although you should signal, simply signaling without maintaining an appropriate speed does not ensure a safe merge. Maintaining a solid speed allows you to find a gap in traffic more effectively and enter smoothly. Slowing down or waiting for all traffic to clear can create dangerous situations for both you and other drivers. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, but the key to merging safety is aligning your speed with that of the highway traffic.