Driving on Multi-lane Roads With Heavy Traffic: Safe Driving Tactics

Updated Dec. 11, 2020

Driving on busy, multi-lane roads requires constant vigilance. With traffic and potential hazards in-front, behind and on both sides of your vehicle, the risk of an accident or collision occurring is high. At a moment’s notice, you must be ready to alter your speed or lane position to avoid danger.

Maintain a safe space around your vehicle
Do not disrupt the flow of traffic
Look ahead for blocked lanes
Plan ahead for turns
Avoid blocking intersections
Look out for pedestrians
Passing on a multi-lane road
Respect other drivers

Maintain a safe space around your vehicle

Maintaining a safe bubble of space on all sides of your car should be a top priority on a multi-lane road. This will be a challenge when traffic conditions are heavy. Keep as much space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you as possible, without disrupting the flow of traffic by driving too slowly. In addition, you should aim to stagger your position relative to vehicles in adjacent lanes. If you must maneuver quickly to avoid a collision, having room on either side of your vehicle will make this possible.

Do not disrupt the flow of traffic

All vehicles moving at the same speed while being evenly spaced out are the ideal conditions on a multi-lane road. Driving faster or slower than other traffic will force other motorists to adjust their speed and position to maintain space around their vehicles. This will also worsen congestion when there are many drivers on the road. Try to move with the flow of traffic, adjusting your speed to match that of other motorists around you.

Look ahead for blocked lanes

When driving on multi-lane urban streets, you should get into the habit of scanning the road for hazards at least a block and a half ahead of your current position. Be sure to keep an eye out for lane blockages when doing this. You can help to keep traffic moving by merging to a clearer lane if your lane is blocked further along the road.

There may not be an obvious space for you to merge if traffic is busy, though you may still be able to change lanes by signaling your intention to turn and waiting for another driver to let you in. Never try and force your way into an adjacent lane when space is limited, as this will annoy other motorists and could cause an accident.

Advance warning signs may provide clues to traffic ahead of you, allowing you to merge or slow down as necessary.

Plan ahead for turns

Drivers must remain aware of their surroundings and prepare for any necessary turns ahead of time. As soon as you identify your turn-off on the road ahead, begin merging into an appropriate lane that permits the maneuver. Keep in mind that you may not be able to execute multiple lane changes consecutively during heavy traffic. Turns on multi-lane roadways are discussed in more detail in our next section.

Avoid blocking intersections

Always check traffic on the other side of an intersection before entering it – even if a green signal light indicates that you may proceed. If there is not enough space for your vehicle in the lane on the other side, entering the intersection would obstruct other lanes of traffic and could cause gridlock.

Look out for pedestrians

You should keep speed to a minimum and always be prepared to stop when driving in an area with a high number of pedestrians. Pedestrians may blindly step out onto a crosswalk when it is not safe to do so or cross busy roads illegally between two intersections. Turning left at an intersection will demand additional caution when pedestrians are around.

Passing on a multi-lane road

Passing on a multi-lane road will always be risky but is often necessary. Turn to check your blind spots and use your mirrors to look for traffic all the way around your vehicle. Check to see whether any other vehicles are poised to move into the space you intend to use to complete the pass and do not proceed until you are certain it is clear. Passing on the left is always the better option, as right-hand passes are riskier and prohibited in many areas.

Respect other drivers

With so many dangers for drivers to contend with, tensions on busy multi-lane roads are often running high. Do your best to be patient with other motorists, treating them with the same courtesy as you would expect to be treated with yourself. Look out for other drivers preparing to turn, change lanes or enter the roadway and allow them as much space as you can to complete the maneuver.

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Turns on Multi-lane Roads

Making turns at intersections on multi-lane roads is a little more complicated than it is at dual-lane intersections. Multi-lane intersections often have additional lanes or dedicated “turn lanes” for motorists wishing to turn. The risk of conflict with other motorists when turning from one multi-lane road onto another multi-lane road is high. You can mitigate this risk by yielding to all other traffic crossing the intersection before executing the turn.

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Driving on Highways

Highways are the backbone of the United States transportation system. Together, they connect every major population in the country. These high-speed, limited-access roads make it possible to travel long distances conveniently and safely - providing you abide by the rules and avoid taking unnecessary risks.

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Understanding Highways

Highways are usually the best roads to use when traveling long distance. These roads are also known as expressways, limited access highways, interstate highways, turn pikes, toll roads and freeways. Freeways are only our country’s safest roads when you know how to drive on them correctly. When traveling at high speed, amidst large volumes of traffic, enormous trucks and ever-changing conditions, motorists must be at the top of their driving game.

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Driving on Rural Roads 3 of 3

Approaches to Rural Driving

Staying safe on rural roads depends on remaining alert, giving yourself the best possible view of the road ahead and making sure you have enough time to stop or maneuver to avoid a collision. Do not take any chances if your feel yourself tiring on a rural road. Find the next safe place to pull over and consider taking a short nap before proceeding on your journey.

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Curves and Hills

When driving through a stretch of road that is not flat, or straight, a motorist must contend with additional forces acting on their vehicle. Adjustments in speed and lane position must be made to counteract these forces and maintain control. Furthermore, line of sight may be impeded by the mid-point of a curve or the crest of a hill.

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Driving Through Curves

You do not need to be a rocket scientist to navigate curves in the road safely, though you will need to understand the forces acting on your vehicle and learn how to maintain control. When driving through any curve in the road, the circular pathway of your vehicle will create a centrifugal force which pulls it toward the outside edge of the curve. Always be on the lookout for curves in the road ahead of you and make any necessary speed and position changes as soon as possible.

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Driving on Hills

Driving on hills presents many of the same challenges as driving on a curved road. Your ability to see opposing traffic may be impeded by the crest of the hill and additional forces will be acting on your vehicle. Whereas centripetal and centrifugal forces will affect your car while driving through a curve, hill driving means you must contend with gravity. The steeper the hill, the greater this effect will be.

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Driving in Heavy Traffic

Heavy traffic is a major contributing factor to many complex risk environments, such as limited access highways, urban areas, complex intersections and multi-lane roads. When sharing the roadway with a large volume of other motorists, drivers must be able to multitask. While monitoring the area around your vehicle, you will also need to scan the road ahead, position your vehicle appropriately, maintain a safe speed and ensure you are in the correct lane.

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Heavy Traffic at Intersections

The risk of being involved in a collision is considerable at intersections – particularly during rush hour and other times when traffic is heavy. Recent collision data indicates that around 47 percent of all crashes occur at intersections – including roughly half of all crashes which result in injury.