Personal Injury Lawyer
In the bustling traffic of the US, it becomes exhilarating to merge onto highways and change lanes. Collisions of vehicles wait for only one mistake while changing lanes and merging onto highways.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that approximately 533,000 are lane changing and merging accidents. Suppose you ask drivers what they dislike about other drivers sharing the road. Four times out of five, you would get the answer, “Drivers don’t change lanes properly.” And this little mistake can lead to serious fatal injury.
But fear not! This article will guide you with treasure trove tips to change lanes on bustling highways of America like a pro. This guide will provide insights into road rules, smooth tips to merge on highways, and things to avoid when changing lanes as shared with us from a personal injury lawyer with our friends at SL Chapman Trial Lawyers.
Step to Step Guide to Merge Safely
● Make sure to match the traffic speed before merging onto the highway. ● Give way to oncoming traffic, but unless necessary, avoid stopping.
● Maintain a gap of 3 to 4 seconds in traffic to merge. And keep an eye out for the vehicle you want to be behind.
● Always check your blind spot before merging, as mirrors only reflect where they are set. Hence always be sure to turn your head to see if the way is clear.
● Check for the vehicles around you before entering.
● Turning your signal light on 300-100 feet before merging or changing lanes is recommended.
● Now, cross one lane of traffic at a time.
● Keep up with the speed of traffic until you exit the lane. It’s crucial to modify your driving speed based on the weather and the structure of the exit road.
● Keep a required distance when passing larger vehicles.
● If you’re driving a commercial vehicle, check your blind spot and side mirror, as some commercial vehicles don’t have a rearview.
Tips to change lanes safely
● First, turn on your signal light, which helps other drivers to understand your intentions of changing lanes.
● Always check your side or rearview mirror to know about the vehicle behind or around you.
● The side mirror allows the driver to see only where it is aimed; hence it is always suggested to check your blind spot.
● Maintain a certain distance and maintain the required speed.
● Now if you see a clear way, move your vehicle toward the desired lane.
● Once you have changed the lane, turn off the light. Sometimes when the driver forgets to turn off the signal light, the other drivers on the road get confused, leading to vehicle collisions.
Things to avoid when changing lanes
● Take only a little bit of time to do all steps. Things change very quickly on highways hence change the lane immediately if you see a clear way.
● Always find a gap between vehicles before merging or changing lanes.
● Remember to turn on or off the signal light.
● Keep going with the flow of traffic. Do not slow down or accelerate quickly.
Remember that merging onto highways and changing lanes requires serious attention, patience, and awareness of your surrounding vehicles. By following the above guidelines and tips, you will smoothly and safely be able to drive like a pro. However, accidents still happen so if you are involved in one, contact a lawyer near you for help.