A 3-minute lesson from the South Carolina course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Many drivers were taught to merge early when a lane ends. In heavy, slow traffic, that causes sudden lane switching, collisions and road rage. The zipper merge fixes it by using both lanes up to the merge point.
Zipper merge (late merge)
Staying in your lane until the merge point, then taking turns with drivers in the other lane to ease into the open lane.
When you see a "lane closed ahead" sign and traffic is backing up, stay in your current lane until you reach the merge point, then take turns merging safely and smoothly.
A construction sign says the right lane closes in one mile, and traffic is crawling. Stay in the right lane to the merge point, then alternate with the left-lane drivers. If traffic were flowing at 65 mph, you'd move left early instead.
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.
The zipper merge strategy asks drivers to:
Merge as early as possible when a lane is closing
Always use the right lane in a work zone
Stay in their lane until the merge point
Stop completely before merging
Answer: Stay in their lane until the merge point
Zipper merging means staying in your current lane until reaching the point of merge, then taking turns easing in.
