Freeways allow many people to travel together at higher speeds for longer distances. Typically, freeways have as many as three or more lanes of travel and speeds can vary from 55 mph to 70 mph. Some freeways, also known as interstates, can be very long. The longest freeway in California is Interstate 5, which totals nearly 797 miles and stretches from the Mexican border to the Oregon state line.

Plan Ahead

Know when the busiest and most congested times to travel on freeways are, so that you may avoid driving during those times and in those areas. Allow for extra time, to get to your destination safely. If you are driving on the freeways during these busy and congested driving hours, you might end up having to exit the freeway in an unfamiliar area. If unfamiliar with the freeway, this could make you miss an exit or cause you to have a collision. When traffic is congested, drivers get fussy and angry, and this creates additional dangers, such as tailgaters, drivers not paying attention to their driving, drivers trying to make dangerous and unsafe maneuvers, drivers trying to speed, drivers who are tired, etc. So if at all possible plan you trip around the busiest driving times, wait until after the morning work rush or after the off work rush when drivers have cleared the freeway; this creates a much smoother and safer drive. The busiest hours on most freeways are the hours in the morning between 7:30-9:30 am, and the hours of the evening between 4:00-6:30 p.m.

12.1.1 Entering the Freeway

Acceleration Lanes

Acceleration lanes are lanes designed to allow drivers to increase their speed prior to actually entering the freeway traffic. These lanes help drivers to easily merge into traffic lanes with the least amount of danger.

It is important that you enter a freeway at approximately the speed of the traffic in the far right lane. It is not appropriate to stop on an acceleration lane, but if traffic is very heavy (most likely traveling very slowly), a stop is preferable to forcing your car into the freeway traffic or driving down the shoulder of the freeway.

It is never legal to drive on a shoulder to pass cars on the freeway, though if your car is experiencing problems, it may be appropriate to drive on the shoulder for a short time so that you are not blocking traffic. If you are traveling faster than the traffic on the freeway while driving on the shoulder, you are passing the traffic, and would be cited for unsafe driving.

In very old freeways, you may have a stop sign just prior to the freeway traffic. On these onramps, the gap necessary in traffic to enter safely is much greater, and the entrance is much more hazardous than an onramp with an acceleration lane.

Entrance Warning Signs

In order to enter a freeway you must look for the freeway entrance sign and be in the appropriate lane to enter a freeway. On the freeway entrance ramp there may be other warning signs or signs that indicate what lane you should be in. A light may indicate you must stop or you may have to merge lanes with another vehicle that is entering the freeway at the same time as you.

Double Merge Lanes

Double merge lanes are where there are two lanes merging onto the freeway at the same time. It is important that you and the other driver stay within your own lanes until you are on the freeway. Upon entering the freeway, move over safely into the designated lane on the freeway for your lane or merge into the other lane safely. Look for any “lanes merging” sign on the ramp so you will know if you will need to leave space for any vehicle that may be next to you on the entrance ramp. (Merging lanes signs should precede a courteous, zipper-type merge, so be prepared to be courteous!) Watch for any warning signs that indicate that the ramp is under construction, where workers may be present or the ramp is closed.

Timed Entrance Lights

On freeways you will often see that there is a signal light on the on-ramp. The light is to control freeway congestion; it rations the traffic so that multiple vehicles do not enter the freeway at the same time. The light is usually on during the heaviest driving hours. You must obey this just as you would a traffic signal. If it is red you must stop and wait for a green light; if the light is not illuminated you do not have to stop before entering the freeway.

Adjust Your Speed Appropriately

As you are entering the freeway you must look at the traffic flow on the freeway, so that you may adjust your speed and “blend” into the flow of traffic without slowing that flow, or without running into the rear-end of a vehicle by traveling too fast for the freeway’s speed. Remember that freeways can be congested just like city streets.

Signal to Enter Freeway

Be sure to signal your intent for five seconds before merging into the closest traffic lane. This will warn the through traffic in that closest lane to make room and anticipate your merge.

Watch Vehicle Ahead For Sudden Stops

When entering a freeway you must be aware of the speed of the vehicles in front of your vehicle. Leave enough of a space cushion between your car and the vehicle in front of you, just in case that driver should suddenly slow or stop. The other driver may be reacting to the conditions of the freeway traffic or to a hazard on the entrance ramp or on the freeway. Stop accelerating and cover your brake pedal until you have a large enough safe space cushion around your vehicle

Common Mistakes Entering From Acceleration Lane

A common mistake made when entering a freeway is not being aware of the through freeway traffic speed and conditions, so vehicles are traveling too fast or too slow on the on-ramp. This will cause them (or others) to suddenly stop or slow down unnecessarily. In order to keep this from happening you must take into consideration the flow of the through freeway traffic and work yourself into a gap. So increase your speed to the speed of traffic when entering the freeway so that you match the speed of the flow of traffic on the freeway; at the last moment, slow to merge behind the car in the far right lane.

Entering Directly Onto the Freeway – No Acceleration Lane

When you have no acceleration lane before entering the freeway, the right lane of the freeway becomes your acceleration area. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you have enough of a gap in the closest lane on the through freeway to be able to increase your speed to that of the traffic flow. In order to do this you should stop and or yield long enough to be able to see and get that clearing and remember that it will take you much longer to get to those freeway speeds from a stop or partial stop. Only pull out when it is safe and clear to do so.

Accelerate to Blend into Traffic

Basically you will need to speed up and accelerate as quickly as possible to be able to gain enough speed to blend into the flow of traffic. When you have a long gap and are pulling out into the freeway from a stop or partial stop, you must push completely down on the accelerator in order to start gaining the speed needed to blend into the traffic. Once you have reached the ideal speed, release slowly on the accelerator, so that you may keep that speed consistently.

12.1.2 Carpool Lanes

Carpool lanes are known as diamond lanes or HOV lanes (high occupancy vehicle). These specialty lanes are for vehicles carrying more than one person. The carpool lanes on the freeway are the lanes designated for vehicles with the minimum number of passengers aboard, only. As long as the passengers are living, breathing (so pregnant women are one person), and human (no, your pet does NOT count), you may drive in the diamond lane.

There are some cars which qualify for the carpool or diamond lane that do not have to adhere to the passenger requirements. These vehicles (including motorcycles), due to their emissions or fuel standards, qualify for an HOV sticker which allows them to drive in the carpool lane. No gasoline-powered vehicle currently produced qualifies for these stickers, though cars using natural gas, hydrogen or electricity may qualify, so talk to your dealer before purchasing a vehicle you think might qualify.

Special Vehicles

The following vehicles cannot travel faster than 55 mph on a freeway, even if the posted speed limit is higher:

• A truck or truck tractor having three or more axles or any truck or truck tractor towing any other vehicle.
• A passenger vehicle or bus drawing any other vehicle.
• A school bus transporting any children.
• A farm labor vehicle when transporting passengers.
• A vehicle transporting explosives.
• A trailer bus.

Sometimes there may be signs posted that designate a specific lane the above mentioned vehicles must use while traveling on a freeway. However, if no signs are posted these vehicles shall be driven in the right-hand lane of traffic or as close as practicable to the right edge or curb. If, however, a specific lane or lanes have not been designated on a divided highway having four or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, any of those vehicles may also be driven in the lane to the immediate left of that right-hand lane, unless otherwise prohibited. When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, the driver must use either the designated lane, the lane to the immediate left of the right-hand lane, or the right-hand lane for traffic as permitted under this code. (VC 21655)

12.1.3 Leaving the Freeway

Most people do not prepare themselves sufficiently for their exit. Know where your exits are before you start your trip! Watch the freeway street and exit signs to know the distance to your exit. Start moving toward the right lanes (but not the right lane itself) about five miles prior to your exit; at this distance, there is no need to panic because you have plenty of time. When you have passed the onramp prior to your exit (and the merging cars have established their traffic positions), it is a good time to move into the right-most lane.

Cutting off traffic to get over to your exit is a typical bad driving habit that drivers exhibit when driving on freeways. This can cause traffic to slow or veer to avoid you and can cause drivers to rear-end each other. In an emergency where you are having car trouble, use your hazard lights and indicate that you intend to change lanes and check before moving over. (Your hazard lights will help others understand your unusual maneuvers and they are likely to move away from your car so that you have the opportunity to slow and merge easier).

Scan Ahead For Signs Indicating Desired Exit Lane

When you are preparing to exit the freeway, look for the correct lane to use for your exit. Is there a designated lane for your exit? If not, you must be in the far right lane (with the exception of some exit lanes that exit to the left side of the freeway). You should watch for the guide signs that will tell you what the distance is to your exit. The signs are posted in advance so that you do not make dangerous last-minute maneuvers in order to get to the appropriate lane for your exit. Exits are not always in the far right lane, so watch your guide signs and prepare in advance.

What to Do When an Exit is Missed

If you have missed your intended exit do not slow, stop, or back-up; do not go into the emergency lane or make a dangerous maneuver to get to that exit. Just go to the next available exit and then double back; use side streets or the freeway in the opposite direction. This is why it is so important for you to know the freeway and its exits well or at least have a map available that can guide you to the proper path.

Exit Lanes

Deceleration lanes are designed for exiting drivers to be able to slow their speed safely, without affecting the freeway’s traffic flow. Deceleration lanes are commonly called “off-ramps.” They allow drivers to safely slow their speed from freeway speeds to city street speeds and they allow drivers to prepare for a stop at the end of the ramp.

When there is more than one lane designated for exiting, one may be an “exit only” lane and it will be marked as such. The other exit lane, the left lane, may be both an exit lane as well as a through traffic lane.

Adjusting Speed

When exiting a freeway you must adjust your speed to the appropriate conditions while still at or below the posted speed limit. You must look at the conditions of the exit lane to be able to adjust your speed. If the exit lane is congested or if there is a curve in the lane that would cause you to slow your speed, you must be prepared in advance. You must adjust your speed to the speed posted on the exit ramp, until another traffic control device or sign indicates otherwise. This is usually a much lower rate of speed than that of the freeway.

Note: When you exit a freeway onto a city street, it is very easy to speed on that city street at first, because you are ‘used to’ the faster speed of the freeway. A simple reminder to yourself that you are entering reduced-speed areas as you exit a freeway can go a long way toward avoiding a ticket in that very common speed “trap.”

Curved Ramps

Curved exit ramps or over-passes are dangerous if drivers do not yield to the posted speed. You can lose control of your vehicle if you do not yield to the speed posted or to a speed that is slightly less than the posted speed. Look ahead so you are prepared for a sharp curve that would demand a greatly reduced speed.

Interchanges

The intersection of two highways at different levels (over and under) with separate connecting roads is called an interchange. Two common types of interchanges are diamonds and cloverleaves.

12.1.4 Traffic Breaks

Traffic breaks are used by law enforcement to:

• Slow or stop traffic to remove hazards from the roadway.
• Conduct emergency operations.
• Prevent traffic collisions in heavy fog or unusually heavy traffic.

During a traffic break, the officer turns on the rear emergency lights, slows the vehicle, and drives across the lanes of traffic in a serpentine manner.

To assist the officer in conducting a traffic break:

• Activate your emergency flashers to warn other drivers there is a hazard ahead.
• Slowly begin to decrease your speed.
• Do not slow abruptly unless it is necessary to avoid a collision.
• Slow to the same speed as the officer while keeping a safe distance from the patrol vehicle ahead of you.
• Do not attempt to drive past the patrol vehicle.
• Do not accelerate until the patrol vehicle has turned off its emergency lights and traffic conditions ahead allow the return to normal speeds.