Montana driving lesson · Speed, Space & Road Conditions
Keeping pace, merging and slow traffic
A 3-minute lesson from the Montana course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Vehicles moving the same direction at the same speed can't hit each other. Crashes happen when drivers go much faster or slower than the flow, so blend in when entering, driving and leaving traffic.
Know the rule
Drive with the flow of traffic, passing only as needed. Speeding saves only a few minutes, and if you'd have to exceed the limit to pass, don't pass until you can do it legally and safely.
Driving much slower than others is just as risky — traffic bunches up and passes you. If vehicles pile up behind you, pull over when safe and let them pass, or use a slower road.
Keep up with traffic on the main road. Signal your exit and don't slow down until you're on the exit ramp. Turning off a high-speed two-lane road, don't slow too early — tap your brakes and slow quickly but safely.
You're merging onto an interstate where traffic moves at 75 mph. Use the whole ramp to build speed, signal, check your mirror and over your shoulder, and slide into a gap — never stop at the end of the ramp.
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, you should try to enter at the same speed traffic is already moving.
True
False
Answer: True
Using the ramp to match the speed of traffic before merging helps you enter safely.