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Auto Accidents / Jan 18,2022

Avoid on-ramp accidents by knowing who has the right-of-way

One of the more dangerous places to be on a highway is in the right-hand lane. This is because traffic coming onto the highway may be trying to merge into the right lane before moving into a different lane of travel.

The people who are on an on ramp are expected to speed up to meet the speed of traffic, and then they need to merge over into the first lane of travel. However, if that lane is blocked or they can’t get up to speed quickly enough, they should yield and wait until the lane is clear and they can merge over.

The nature of on-ramps makes them a hazard

The process of entering a highway is dangerous because the driver is expected not only to monitor traffic in the next lane over but also to get up to speed before attempting to merge. Depending on the length of the on ramp, it may be difficult to do these things and have time to stop if it’s clear that there isn’t room to merge into the first lane of travel.

The issue with this is that many drivers will attempt to push over into the right lane or suddenly slam on their brakes without enough time to stop. They may enter the right lane at inappropriate times in either case, which may then lead to a collision.

What can you do to mitigate the risk of an on-ramp accident?

When you are traveling on the highway and it has more than one lane available, try to travel in the middle or left lanes of travel rather than the right. While the right-hand lane is often used by slower drivers, it really should be reserved for those who are entering or exiting the highway.

If you can’t get over and see someone trying to merge, slow down or speed up to make sure they have a gap in traffic where they can enter. If you can’t do this, the rules of the road state that the person trying to enter the highway should yield. If they hit you because they fail to do so, then you may be able to hold them accountable with a personal injury claim.

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