How to Merge onto a Freeway, Motorway, or Interstate

#freewaymerging #smartdrivetest #defensivedriving

An on-ramp consists of two parts: the on-ramp and the acceleration ramp. The on-ramp is the section of road that connects the road from which you're coming onto the highway or freeway. The on-ramp can be short or long and no two are the same length.

After the on-ramp is the acceleration lane. The acceleration lane provides a stretch of road for you to acquire speed so that you can get your vehicle up to highway speed or the speed of traffic flow - whichever is less.

You will know that you are on the acceleration lane because you will pass the solid lane marking on your left . The lane marking on your left will become dotted and the dashes are twice as wide and ½ as long as road markings that separate lanes of traffic travelling in the same direction. These lane markings are called continuity lines.

Continuity lines are twice as wide and ½ as long; therefore are distinguished. If you are in a lane that has continuity lines on your left, the lane you are in is either going to exit or end. In the case of an acceleration lane, it is going to end – therefore, hammer down!!

Good luck on your road test!

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[hkharryfunk]

I watched a bunch of your videos and they were super helpful. Passed my Class 5 road test today! Thanks for the great content!

[traceygregory]

Congratulations to all those beginner drivers who receive their license. Learning how to drive safely doesn't stop after you receive your license. I personally took about 10 more lessons after I received my license with a driving school. Of just highway driving learning how to keep proper distance between cars on the highway. Merging, changing lanes, sharing the interstate/highway with tracker trailers. Learning how to at high speeds with traffic it very intimidating at first and fear will creep in your head. My suggestion to that is just say a prayer before you get on the road and God will protect you. This tutorial by Rick August is great and it helps me out a lot. I hope this was helpful message for all the new drivers out there... Remember to say to yourself. YOU CAN DO THIS...

[bikup]

I myself have stopped on an acceleration lane as I had no choice. I made the mistake of not adjusting my speed to highway limit early enough. And when I finally decided to speed up I found myself stuck on the acceleration lane parallel to a huge truck not to mention I had another person and two toddlers in the car with me. God was definitely with me on this one. I am a new driver and struggle with indecisiveness on the road which is dangerous. However watching these videos and taking extra driving lessons helps a lot. I am confident I will become an excellent driver.

[MichaelDavis-zuko]

Good explanation of normal acceleration lanes, but I'd like to see an explanation of how to merge in OTHER merging situations; lane closing, exit only, road work ahead, a very popular exit, etc: other situations where a lane may end, traffic is already at speed, and there is ample distance, maybe 2 or more miles to merge, and how that changes the merging situation...

[SECX]

Some onramps have nostalgic value to me. Because many are still there from the time when I was a kid and my mom used to drive there with me in the car. And these onramps I still use when I drive there myself as an adult.

[TheChubbyDoe]

My driving school lessons were terrible, I did all my learning here! Thanks so much for taking the time to help people like me- I have a license but am too inexperienced to feel comfortable driving!

[atanner]

I watch all your videos. I am still terrified of driving on highways. I'm 30 years old and have only done it twice. I map out back roads to every where I need to go. My husband says I need to face my fear and just go for it. I'm afraid of causing an accident :( I am so anxious about getting on and off the highways :(

[connormouser]

I’m a new driver, and I must admit I have done stoped on an acceleration lane. I wanted to look up to help me out with this! Thank you!!

[jnmaher]

I like this video. It is well explained, clear and concise, however, it only explains this from one vantage point. The 'other' vantage point from which to view merging, is from the driver that is in the lane being merged into. In other words, drivers need to learn how to help other drivers merge in front of them. You cannot always move over to help a merging driver so you need to learn to adjust to them.

You can talk all day about "getting up to speed". but not everyone can and we need to teach drivers, experienced and inexperienced, how to help these slower vehicles merge.
Following distance should be your biggest concern. If there is a driver in front of you, that is your burden, if there is a driver behind you, you are their burden.

Your following distance as you merge (if there is a vehicle in front of you), and your following distance you allow to the vehicle merging in front of you, is of the utmost importance as far as safety goes.

Once again, it is not about getting up to speed to get out of the way of other drivers. When we talk like this, we make those "other" drivers sound as if they have no brain to make adjustments to the unexpected, or SLOWER vehicles.

All drivers need to learn how to adjust to the unexpected. Because a driver "stops" in the acceleration lane is not a guarantee that a collision will occur UNLESS the driver behind is ill-equipped to handle this. In other words, what have they been told? THEY can't stop in the merge lane, therefore, noon we else will?

When you stick to just one element, or one side of the story, you have bad habits that result from it. And in my estimation, experienced drivers who were trained that they have to "get up to speed" and that there are no two ways about it, they usually handle those who don't do that, in a dangerous way. They don't HELP them, they just bear down on them as they try to merge or make it very difficult.We need to teach drivers that it is okay to decelerate a little bit for safety to help someone else or to make a situation safer.

I have seen enough people scratch their heads trying to figure how, with all of this training, we still have collisions that are ridiculous in nature. We have to cool it with the "go with the flow' nonsense and equip all drivers with a wider understanding of the possibilities, because all we have now are, mostly drivers, who do not know how to react to drivers who do something that THEY were told that drivers are not supposed to do.

We can do so much better. Be Safer. Slow down for safety. Get put to speed, sure, but keep your following distance and remember if there is a driver merging or changing lanes in front of you, help them out. Give them "more than enough room".

We need to be smarter drivers.

Jeff
All Wheel Driving Academy

[eligibleemail]

Thank you for your great videos! I passed my License test today with flying colors! While I wasn't tested on Freeways, I've been studying and watching for videos for a while now to prepare. I highly recommend your videos to anyone learning to drive! Many thanks!

[dt]

i completed and passed g test thanks to following your tips, passed g2 in 2018 from ur vids as well and want to say thanks for the knowledge ur sharing. gives everyone the opportunity to learn as you would if u were to take driving school, and as someone who can’t really afford driving school people like you give us chance to learn. thank you.

[crruan]

Great videos, btw. Once, in ATL, I saw a driver trying to back up from an exit ramp onto the expressway. It was one of the most scariest moments as a driver in my life. Good thing I wasn't behind them...

[alicemwamikazi]

Yes I stopped on acceleration lane today.fortunately was Sunday early morning with no traffic.i was checking to death.was my first time to drive by myself on high way

[frehduhrik]

Thanks so much for your videos. They have helped with my anxiety the day before my test. Your videos gave me the confidence and I was able to pass. I subscribed and appreciate all the knowledge you've shared! You really make it easy to understand and show in great detail what to do to be a good driver!

[djbanizza]

In my experience, if you don't merge in the first moment you feel it's safe to do so, cars in the acceleration lane behind you might merge before you and block your entry if they are faster.

[jacobholgate]

2:16 "People are...going to assist you in merging onto the freeway." Ideally, yes. Maybe people will switch lanes to the center or left lane, but I don't think I've ever seen someone slow down to let someone in. I live in Portland, but even here, people are a-holes on the freeway. Basically you stomp on the gas and it's a drag race until there's an opening.

I will say this (more in general about passing, but it applies to merging too): something I learned from truckers - If it looks like the person passing me or merging is hesitant to get over, or I want to signal to them that they are clear to get in front of me, I will turn off my headlights (so only the parking lights are on) for one second and then back on. This is not to be confused with someone flashing their high beams. That means something totally different.

[zanebain]

I want to thank you for all of your videos. They helped me to pass my NY state road test. Keep up your excellent work!

[divyas]

Thanks a lot!! I got lot of confidence after seeing your videos. I was so afraid to drive on road. I waited 2 years to learn driving with that fear. After seeing your videos, really I got confidence and able to drive in traffic and learnt driving in 3 weeks :) 👍.

[alexsalvara]

I'm new here. It is a most simple and most understanding lesson of the freeway entry I saw on you tube and from my personal advisers. Thank you so much. Greeting from a new beginner from Australia.

[madar]

Excellent demonstration for merging to Hi-way. Thanks