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District of Columbia driving lesson · Highway & Roundabout Driving

Entering & leaving the interstate

A 3-minute lesson from the District of Columbia course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Highway & Roundabout Driving
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
11, 12, 30

Interstates and other limited access highways get you there sooner, more easily and more safely, if you use them properly. Most mistakes happen at the ramps, so learn how to merge in and exit out.

Before a highway trip, ask yourself:

  • Are my tires in condition for high speeds?
  • Do I have adequate oil and cooling water, and enough fuel?
  • Does the vehicle have any dangerous mechanical defects?
  • Do I feel in good condition, and have I had enough sleep?
  • Have I pre-set my navigation and reviewed the route?
Handbook p. 30 ↗

Acceleration lane

The lane at the end of an entrance ramp that gives you the chance to get up to the speed of highway traffic before merging.

Handbook p. 30 ↗

Know the rule

When entering an interstate, do not cross the solid painted lines that divide the entrance from the interstate.

Handbook p. 30 ↗

Know the rule

On a short entrance with no acceleration lane, speed up on the entrance only after you have found a gap in traffic.

Handbook p. 30 ↗

Know the rule

In general, stop before entering an interstate when you are waiting for a break in traffic.

Handbook p. 30 ↗

Know the rule

Entering from a left-side entrance: compare what you see in your mirrors with what you see looking over your shoulder.

Handbook p. 30 ↗

Leaving the interstate:

  • For a right-side exit, get into the right lane well before the exit
  • Don't slow down on the main highway
  • Start slowing as soon as you enter the deceleration lane, and keep slowing on the exit ramp
  • Slow to the posted advisory speed for the ramp, or you may have trouble on its curves
Handbook p. 30 ↗

Know the rule

If you exit at the wrong place, continue until you are off the exit ramp, then look for a way to re-enter the interstate.

Handbook p. 30 ↗

Put it into practice

A handbook sample question: on a short entrance with no acceleration lane, what do you do? Answer: speed up on the entrance only after you've found a gap in traffic. Don't use the shoulder of the main road to build speed.

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.

What should you do when entering an interstate from a short entrance ramp with no acceleration lane?
  1. Speed up only after finding a gap
  2. Enter the right lane, then speed up
  3. Use the shoulder to build up speed
  4. Enter slowly and let traffic adjust

Answer: Speed up only after finding a gap

With no acceleration lane, you should find a gap in traffic before speeding up to merge safely.

Handbook p. 30 ↗
When entering an interstate, what should you generally do while waiting for a break in traffic?
  1. Merge immediately regardless of traffic
  2. Stop before entering the interstate
  3. Drive on the shoulder until a gap appears
  4. Flash your hazard lights and proceed

Answer: Stop before entering the interstate

In general, you should stop before entering an interstate when waiting for a break in traffic.

Handbook p. 30 ↗
What should you compare when entering an interstate from a left-side entrance ramp?
  1. Your speed with the ramp's advisory speed
  2. Your left mirror with your right mirror
  3. Your mirrors and a look over your shoulder
  4. Your speed with the right-lane traffic

Answer: Your mirrors and a look over your shoulder

For a left-side entrance, compare your mirror view with a shoulder check to safely merge.

Handbook p. 30 ↗
As you prepare to leave the interstate at an exit on the right, what should you do?
  1. Slow down while still on the main highway lanes
  2. Wait until the exit ramp begins to signal
  3. Cross into the left lane briefly for a better view
  4. Move into the right lane well ahead

Answer: Move into the right lane well ahead

Move into the right lane early; don't slow on the main highway itself, only after entering the deceleration lane.

Handbook p. 30 ↗
If you miss your intended exit on the interstate, what should you do?
  1. Continue on and re-enter legally later
  2. Stop on the shoulder and back up to the exit
  3. Make a U-turn on the ramp
  4. Cross the median to turn around

Answer: Continue on and re-enter legally later

Never back up on a highway; continue off the ramp and look for a legal way back onto the interstate.

Handbook p. 30 ↗
When entering an interstate, what should you never cross?
  1. The dashed white lane lines on the interstate
  2. The ramp's solid entrance dividing lines
  3. The white edge line at the ramp's end
  4. The yellow line on the ramp's left side

Answer: The ramp's solid entrance dividing lines

The solid painted lines dividing the entrance ramp and the interstate should not be crossed while merging.

Handbook p. 30 ↗
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