Who gets the right of way when merging onto the highway?

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John Shallenberger, Deputy Sheriff at Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office

Entering a highway from an on ramp can be a stressful situation, especially for new drivers. Most states give the right of way to the vehicle that is traveling on the highway. The vehicle entering must yield to those vehicles, but there are a few states that indicate both drivers must attempt to adjust their speed and location to avoid a collision. You should review your state’s rules of the road for what your state requires.

I would like to share a few pointers that will work in all states. Upon entering the on ramp, a driver needs to attempt to get up to speed to safely merge onto the highway. While getting up to speed, the driver should activate their turn signal so the interstate traffic can see your intentions. This may allow a driver on the highway time to switch lanes to allow you on the highway.

While on the ramp, a driver should also be looking for a spot in traffic to merge into. They should be looking into their mirrors to see if there’s a gap between vehicles to fit into in the near lane. You should avoid making an abrupt merge to avoid causing a crash. A driver should also avoid stopping on the ramp because of the difficulty to get back up to highway speed. Once on the highway, you should adjust your speed to create a safe gap between other vehicles and ensure a safe trip.