California driving lesson · Turns, Merging & Parking
Merging onto & exiting highways
A 3-minute lesson from the California course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Highway traffic has the right-of-way, so merging means fitting into a gap at traffic speed, not forcing your way in. Exiting means planning your lane early and signaling well ahead.
Know the rule
Highway traffic has the right-of-way when you merge.
If you need to cross several lanes, signal and cross them one at a time, checking blind spots for vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians each time.
Your exit is two miles ahead and you're in the Number 1 Lane. Move right one lane at a time, signaling and checking your blind spot for each move. Once in the exit lane, signal about five seconds (roughly 400 feet) before the exit.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
When merging onto a highway, what speed should you try to match?
At or near the speed of traffic
The posted freeway speed limit
10 mph below the flow of traffic
The speed limit of the on-ramp
Answer: At or near the speed of traffic
When entering a highway, be at or near the speed of traffic before merging.