Without a doubt, driving at high speeds along a crowded interstate can be very intimidating, especially for new or inexperienced drivers. Although driving on interstates requires more focus and alertness than driving down a city or residential street, there really is no reason to be apprehensive about traveling on the interstate. To prevent accidents and personal injury, it’s best to be prepared before venturing onto a crowded interstate. Here are a few things to remember when driving on interstates in Kentucky.
Merging
For many drivers, merging onto the roadway is the most intimidating part of interstate driving. However, when done correctly, merging can be quite simple. Use the entrance ramp to get up to the same speed of the interstate traffic, glance at traffic and pick a spot to merge into. Then, use the left signal to indicate the intent to merge and safely move over into traffic. Remember to yield to other drivers, as merging vehicles do not have the right-of-way.
Keep a safe following distance
Following too closely is one of the biggest causes of accidents on the interstate. As a good rule of thumb, use the three second rule to determine a safe following distance. Also, remember to always increase following distance during adverse road conditions.
Keep right
It may be tempting to drive in the faster left lane. However, the left lane is considered the “passing lane.” Refrain from traveling in the left lane and try to use it only when passing another vehicle or letting other vehicles merge. Traveling in the left lane could impede the flow of traffic and cause a traffic jam.
Unfortunately, there are many careless drivers out there. It’s impossible to predict the actions of other drivers on the roadway. In the state of Kentucky, when an individual suffers personal injury in an accident due to negligence, the victim has a right to contact an attorney and seek legal recourse. A successfully litigated lawsuit could result in a substantial monetary award to help victims recover from a traumatic accident.
