What should you do when merging onto a freeway?

When merging onto a freeway, yielding to traffic is essential for ensuring safety and smooth traffic flow. This means you should assess the speed of vehicles already on the freeway and adjust your speed accordingly, allowing you to enter the flow of traffic effectively without causing disruptions or potential collisions. This process of adjusting your speed helps create a seamless merging experience for all drivers involved, as it respects the rights of those who are already traveling at highway speeds.

In contrast, trying to speed up rapidly to merge can pose risks, as it may result in aggressive driving and could lead to dangerous situations if you misjudge the gap between vehicles. Stopping before merging is also not a safe option, as it can cause confusion and potentially lead to accidents, as freeway interchange designs are intended for vehicles to enter at speed rather than halt. Activating hazard lights while merging is not standard practice and could confuse other drivers about your intentions, further complicating the merge process. Thus, yielding and adjusting your speed appropriately when merging is the safest and most effective approach.