What does a driver need to do when merging onto a highway?

When merging onto a highway, a driver should accelerate to match the speed of traffic. This is crucial because highways are designed for higher-speed travel, and maintaining traffic flow is essential for safety. By increasing their speed to that of the vehicles already on the highway, the driver can safely merge without causing disruptions or hazards to themselves or other drivers.

Merging at the appropriate speed helps prevent dangerous situations, such as forcing other drivers to brake suddenly or making abrupt lane changes. It's also important for maintaining overall traffic efficiency and stability. A driver who speeds up to match the flow of traffic allows for smoother transitions and reduces the chances of collisions that might occur if they were to enter at a significantly lower speed.

In contrast, maintaining current speed could lead to a mismatch with the faster-moving traffic, while decelerating to a stop would be highly dangerous on a highway where vehicles are traveling at speed. Additionally, waiting for a signal to merge is not a standard practice and could result in delays and confusion, as merging typically requires the driver to be aware of their surroundings and make fluid decisions based on traffic conditions.