Freeway Driving - Freeways and express-ways.
Freeways and express-ways offer added safety when traffic flows at higher speeds.
There are no intersections, curves and grades are gentle allowing good visibility,
and stresses on the driver and vehicle should be minimal. Each carriageway has two,
three or even more wide lanes as the carriageways are separated, the possibility
of head-on collisions is virtually eliminated. Trees or other vegetation on the
strip between the carriageways may also eliminate headlight dazzle at night. Statistic
have shown that freeways do reduce the incidence of collisions and other smashes;
yet an unnecessary number of mistakes continue to occur, almost through driver error.
Legally a driver is required to drive in the left lane except when overtaking and
where the road a multi-lane and divided carriageway, and mandatory signs to this
effect are normally displayed at the side of the carriageway. Some drivers, through
inattention or selfishness ignore this regulation and frustrate drivers trying in
desperation to overtake in unsafe conditions. No one has the right to prevent another
driver overtaking whether the latter is exceeding the speed limit or not.
Merging
Merging is usually necessitated by the narrowing of a roadway, where the number
of lanes must be reduced, possibly by a bridge, incomplete road construction, or
by road repair works. In roads with lane markings, two lanes of traffic may be required
to merge into a single lane. This inevitably slows the traffic flow, but if the
operation is orderly, lost time may be minimised. Always look for any road sign
at the road side or above the road or alternatively note how the lanes are marked.
If the two lanes which are merging carry considerable traffic, vehicles should merge
alternately. Impatient or ill-mannered drivers who try to push in when it is not
their turn will slow down the whole flow and make conditions worse for those behind.
This is selfishness and poor road-craft. Always avoid bunching unless traffic is
slow and spacing restricted as a result.