How should you adjust your driving when you join freeway traffic?

When joining freeway traffic, adjusting your speed according to the traffic flow is crucial for ensuring safety and smooth merging. The key to merging onto a freeway is to match your speed with that of the vehicles already on the freeway, which helps to create a seamless transition and reduces the likelihood of accidents. By aligning your speed with the ongoing traffic, you minimize disruption and allow for other drivers to make the necessary space for your vehicle to enter safely.

Being aware of the current speed limits and the general pace of traffic can help you determine the appropriate speed to adopt. This adjustment is vital for maintaining safety, as it aids in providing adequate space for both your vehicle and the vehicles already in motion, which is essential on high-speed roadways like freeways.

Other approaches, such as being overly aggressive by overtaking immediately or keeping a previous speed without adjustment, can lead to dangerous situations and potential collisions. Similarly, signaling only after merging does not give other drivers enough time to react and create a safe gap, which can further increase the risk. Hence, adapting your speed to fit in with the traffic is the most effective and safest strategy when entering freeway traffic.