How to Merge Onto the Highway Without Crashing

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

Make sure you are going at the same speed as the traffic into which you are merging as you reach the point where 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. This is very similar to safely changing lanes at highway speeds when it is done properly.
Maintain a safe distance from anyone in the ramp/merge lane in front of you; expect traffic to possibly slowdown or stop, causing you to have to do the same to avoid a rear-end or clip while merging.
- Never assume others will use correct speed, maintain it or merge correctly.
Put your turn signal on so that the drivers on the highway notice that you are merging into their lane. Now carefully and quickly:
1. Look in the internal rearview mirror then at your driver's side mirror;
2. Glance to see that there is no car in your blind spot (close behind you in the lane that you are merging);
3. Quickly, see whether someone has slowed or stopped in the ramp/merge lane in front of you.
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 just a little until you have ample space to merge into.
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 other cars in your lane on the highway.

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