What should you do when merging onto a highway?

When merging onto a highway, the correct action is to yield to existing highway traffic. This is essential for ensuring a safe merge and maintaining the flow of traffic. Highways often have vehicles traveling at higher speeds, and yielding allows you to assess the speed and distance of oncoming traffic before you enter the roadway.

By yielding, you are giving priority to those already on the highway, which helps prevent potential collisions and contributes to overall road safety. This practice allows for a smoother transition onto the highway, as you can properly gauge when it is safe to enter and create gaps in traffic as needed.

In contrast, accelerating quickly without yielding can lead to dangerous situations if you misjudge the speed of other vehicles. Stopping to wait for a gap interrupts the flow of traffic and can create hazards, while merging without checking mirrors can result in not seeing vehicles in your blind spots, increasing the risk of an accident. These actions can compromise safety and are not conducive to effective merging practices.