As you travel down a highway on-ramp, it won’t be long before you see a yield sign ahead. This gives you notice that you need to take great caution as you merge into the flow of traffic.
Even if you have many years of driving experience, there’s something tricky about yielding onto a highway. You could make a variety of mistakes, including but not limited to the following:
- Neglecting to use a turn signal: Even though other drivers should see your vehicle, it’s your responsibility to use a turn signal to make your intentions clear.
- Coming to a complete stop: It’s in your best interest to keep a steady speed down the on-ramp so that you can easily merge into the flow of traffic. Coming to a stop makes it more difficult to yield, as getting up to speed will take more time.
- Assuming others will make room: Don’t assume that other drivers will move out of the lane so you have space to yield. While courteous drivers will attempt to do so if possible, this doesn’t always happen.
It’s these types of mistakes that make it more difficult to safely yield onto a highway.
Once you’re established in traffic, you’re not out of the woods just yet. You need to keep a close eye on what’s going on around you. For example, a vehicle from behind may be traveling so fast that they’re unable to stop, thus causing a rear-end collision.
If you’re injured in a highway accident, move to safety and call 911. Once you receive medical care, you’ll have time to file an insurance claim, review the cause of the accident and devise a plan for protecting your legal rights.