Driving on the Freeway

Although freeways have a far better accident record than any other of type road, any crash that does happen tends to be more serious due to the high speeds involved. Many freeway accidents can be easily preventable by following a few simple rules:

1. When joining the freeway, remember that you must give way if necessary to the traffic already there - do not force your way in if there is not a suitable gap. Once you reach the special acceleration lane, increase your speed to match that of other traffic already on the freeway and look for an opening in the nearest traffic lane. When you spot one, merge smoothly into the lane of traffic. Do not stop on the ramp or in the acceleration lane unless absolutely necessary. If there is no acceleration lane and there is a YIELD sign posted on the entry ramp, vehicles entering the freeeway must yield to traffic already there.
2. Always observe the posted speed limit, and adjust it when necessary to match the road conditions. If you are driving at a speed slower than other traffic, stay in the lane nearest the right side of the roadway.
3. Be prepared to anticipate the unpredictable actions of other drivers. Pay extra attention when approaching intersections where traffic is joining the freeway.
4. Maintain your distance from other cars at all times. In dry conditions, you should allow at least a 2 second gap between your vehicle and the one in front, while in poor visibility or on wet, slippery roads you should increase this to at least 4 seconds.
5. Pay close attention to any freeway signals; these will warn you about any dangers ahead, such as poor weather conditions, an accident, flooding, broken down vehicles, traffic flow conditions or maintenance works.
6. Always make good use of all your mirrors and make sure that you keep checking them so that you are aware of the position of the other cars on the road. The higher volume of traffic on freeways makes frequent use of mirrors particularly important.
7. Cutting in and out of traffic lanes is a very dangerous practice. Choose the lane of traffic moving at the speed you are comfortable with and stay in it. If you need to change lanes to pass traffic or leave the freeway, check your path carefully. Make sure it is clear of other traffic, then signal your intent well in advance of making the actual move. Make sure that you check your mirrors and over your shoulder before changing lane.
8. Make sure you take regular breaks; you should aim to leave the freeway and rest for 15 minutes every 2 hours.
9. Getting off the freeway at the correct exit is not always easy. Try to plan where you will get off the freeway before starting out, and watch carefully for guidance signs to tell you where the exits are. When you are close to the place where you plan to exit, move into the correct lane as soon as safely possible. Signal your turn, then move into the deceleration lane - a separate lane set aside for getting on to an exit ramp. The deceleration lane gives drivers time to slow down before entering the ramp without blocking other traffic. However, if you miss your exit for any reason, do not back up or make a U-turn, just keep going to the next exit.
10. Interchanges are the points where one freeway intersects with another. As freeways cannot have any direct intersections with other roads, each must be built on a different level, with separate connecting roads to allow traffic to transfer from one freeway to the other without interfering with other traffic. If there are several cars waiting in line and you have not yet entered the ramp, you must either join the line and wait your turn or keep going to the next entry ramp. If there are no cars waiting at the signal, approach it slowly to avoid a sudden stop. While waiting for the meter signal, watch for emergency vehicles that may have to use the entry ramp. Be prepared to move onto the side so they can pass by. Make good use of the acceleration lane; to merge safely and without interrupting traffic flow, try to get up to freeway speed before merging