I’m a road law expert and here’s common mistakes everyone makes in traffic jams
AN EXPERT has revealed their top tips for exactly how to merge properly - and avoid longer traffic jams.
Advice includes making full use of both lanes before they merge into one.
As school summer holidays approach, many Brits are dreading long drives to staycation hotspots.
Jams on busy roads, especially during a heatwave, can make holiday journeys miserable for UK drivers.
Delays can often be drawn out by lane closures and roadworks, leaving motorists having to merge down to single lanes in busy traffic.
However, a road law expert has revealed their top tips for handling merges and lane closures, with a nifty bit of road etiquette saving exhausted drivers time and energy.
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Graham Conway, Managing Director of Select Car Leasing, advises motorists not to panic and jump into the other lane when they see a merge warning.
Instead, the best tactic is to make full use of both lanes for as long as possible, allowing vehicles to merge lanes smoothly.
According to Mr Conway, this keeps the traffic flowing and prevents bumper-to-bumper jams.
The advice did not come without a warning, though, as Mr Conway explained: "There might be the tendency to speed up as there is a big gap in front of you, but this is dangerous as you could miscalculate the road length and it also puts other road users on edge."
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The Highway Code states that motorists should "follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed."
Unfortunately, even with these tips, the expert admitted there's no quick fix to getting through jams, even on multi-lane roads.
"Traffic lanes jam up and spread out at different paces, this is why it sometimes seems other lanes are moving quicker."
The expert advises against lane hopping and says that drivers seeing other lanes seeming to move faster should not be fooled by a 'grass is greener' fantasy.
"Switching between lanes rarely helps a driver reach their destination quicker. All it does is affect the traffic behind them who have to adjust their speed to accommodate the vehicle entering the lane", said Conway.
"Pulling into another lane can also increase the risk of a collision, as there are usually smaller spaces between cars in a traffic jam and less time for drivers to react to a vehicle pulling in front of them."
"The varying speeds in traffic jams can also cause issues for motorists so it’s better to remain in your lane, and only move when it’s a necessity, such as moving towards your exit", he concluded.