What is a safe driving strategy when merging onto a highway?

Matching the speed of the traffic when merging onto a highway is crucial for maintaining safety and ensuring a smooth transition onto the roadway. Highways are designed for high-speed travel, and being able to accelerate to the speed of traffic allows you to fit into the flow more safely. This strategy minimizes the risk of collisions, as significant differences in speed between merging vehicles and highway traffic can lead to dangerous situations.

Additionally, when drivers are able to match the speed of the flow, they can find appropriate gaps in traffic more effectively, allowing for a seamless merge without causing abrupt changes in speed for those already on the highway. This is not only safer for the merging driver but also for other vehicles, as it helps maintain the established flow of traffic and reduces the chances of unexpected braking or swerving.

Other options, such as slowing down before entering or using your horn to signal, do not facilitate a smooth merging process. Slowing down could disrupt the flow of traffic and increase the risk of a collision, while relying on a horn is generally not an effective or safe strategy for merging. Waiting for a gap in traffic could lead to extended delays if drivers do not take action to merge at the appropriate time.