Merging accidents are some of the most common types of accidents on U.S. highways. When drivers merge onto a highway or make a lane change, it is often done at speed, increasing the chances of a serious accident.
You can’t always depend on other drivers doing the right thing, but at least if you merge lanes yourself you can reduce the risk of a serious accident by taking a number of safety precautions.
If your own negligence causes an accident, you could face a hefty bill for compensation. Even if you are well insured, this at the very least could lead to a significant hike in your next insurance premium.
Tips for Preventing Merging Lane Accidents
The following tips may help to reduce the risk of causing an accident while merging lanes. If every driver followed these tips, then the incidence of merging lane accidents would be far less and the chance of facing a personal injury claim because of a driver’s own negligence would be hugely diminished.
Most of these safety tips are really just common sense and things that you probably learned when passing a driver license test, but it is still good.
#Tip 1 Recognize Who Has the Right of Way
Merging takes place in three particular circumstances: merging when joining a highway or freeway from an on ramp, changing a lane from an existing lane to another adjacent lane and joining another lane when your own lane is about to end.
The important rule to remember here is that the vehicles in the lane into which the merging vehicle is about to enter have the right of way. If there is an accident involving a merging lane maneuver, police officers will endeavor to determine who had the right of way.
Unless the non merging vehicle driver is doing something illegal like speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it will be the merging driver who will be at fault.
#Tip 2 Using Your Signal
It may seem obvious, but it is easy to forget. You do need to remember to use your turn signal well before you execute a merging maneuver.
This means signaling well before you intend joining a highway or freeway from an on ramp, when entering another lane other than your own and signaling again if you have made a lane change to overtake a slower vehicle in front of you.
Common mistakes are to assume that your actions will be interpreted by other drivers in the lane you intend to merge into and to signal far too late.
#Tip 3 Using Your Mirrors
Your mirrors, both rear view mirror and side mirrors are critical to safe merging lane maneuvers on busy highways. Well before you intend to change lanes or enter a highway, you need to know what vehicles are already in the lane you intend to enter and how far they are away from you and how fast they are traveling.
You need to process all this information to execute a safe merging lane maneuver. Common mistakes are to forget to check the position of your mirrors before and during driving to make sure you have all round visibility and to use your mirror too infrequently.
#Tip 3 Checking Blind Spots
Most vehicles have some sort of blind spot or spots that may prevent the driver from seeing dangers around them. The prudent driver should attempt to minimize blind spots as much as practicably possible before driving, especially if the journey is going to involve driving amongst fast moving traffic.
If blind spots are inevitable because of the design of the vehicle, then this must be remembered before executing a merging lane maneuver and not hope that other drivers in the lane you are merging into will automatically adjust their speed to allow you in.
#Tip 4 Unintentional Lane Change
Merging lane accidents are not always intended. Drivers may stray into another lane and potentially cause an accident for a number of reasons. These reasons are not inevitable.
They can be prevented. If you make an unintended lane change and cause an accident, apart from the injuries and possible fatalities caused, you could also face an unintended insurance claim and penalties for reckless driving. The main causes of unintentional lane changes include:
- fatigue: drifting off asleep or even having a “microsleep”;
- distracted driving: using a cell phone or other electronic device while driving; eating or drinking, taking hands off the wheel to adjust the seat/ radio/stereo/ GPS.
#Tip 5 Acknowledge Motorcycles and Smaller Vehicles
Some highway users are not as easy to see as are large motorized vehicles like buses, trucks, vans, cabs and SUVs. When merging into another lane, you need to keep a particular look out for smaller vehicles and particularly motorcyclists.
Some motorcycle riders adopt the habit of changing lanes frequently when using a highway, often weaving in and out at speed, presumably hoping to take advantage of their smaller size to pass other vehicles in front of them.
It may be prudent to wait to execute a merging lane maneuver if you see a fast moving motorcyclist coming up behind you, whether in the same lane as you or in the lane you want to merge into.
#Tip 7 What to Do In the Event of an Accident
If involved in an accident, whether you were at fault or not, state laws require you to stop. Every accident is unique, but there are some steps you should take at any type of accident. If there is an injury, call 911 and ask for medical assistance and police.
Be specific about the location and nature of the accident and injuries. Make sure in the best way you can to keep yourself and other road users as safe as possible before medical assistance and police arrive. Exchange details with any other driver involved in the crash, including name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver license number and license plate number.
Take photos of the vehicles including any damage. Make notes of how you think the accident took place. Talk to any eye witnesses and take their names and contact details.
After police have been to the crash scene, make sure you get a copy of the accident report. Get appropriate medical treatment or at least a doctor’s assessment. Let your insurance company know about the accident and give full details.
Use an Attorney if You Had a Merging Lane Accident and Were Not to Blame
If you took all safety precautions as described above but still had a merging lane accident, the chances are that you were not at fault and were hit by a negligent merging driver.
You may have grounds to claim compensation if you can provide proof that the other driver behaved negligently. You are strongly advised to work with a personal injury attorney to have the best chance of obtaining the compensation you need.
