What should you do before merging into traffic?

Before merging into traffic, it's essential to check your mirrors, assess your blind spots, and signal your intention. This practice ensures that you are fully aware of your surroundings and any vehicles that may not be visible in your mirrors. By checking the mirrors, you have a view of the traffic behind and beside you; this allows you to see if other vehicles are approaching, potentially at a higher speed.

Assessing blind spots is equally crucial. Blind spots are areas around your vehicle that you cannot see using your mirrors alone. By looking over your shoulder, you ensure that no vehicles or obstacles are in your path before you merge. Signaling your intention alerts other drivers to your actions and helps them anticipate your movement, reducing the risk of a collision.

Overall, this comprehensive approach contributes to safer merging, as you are more informed about your surroundings and can make safer decisions on when to merge into traffic.