How can you prevent merging accidents on highways?

Using proper signaling and checking mirrors is essential in preventing merging accidents on highways for several reasons. Signaling alerts other drivers of your intentions to change lanes or merge, which is crucial in a high-speed environment. This allows other drivers to react appropriately, either by adjusting their speed or changing lanes, thereby reducing the chances of a collision.

Checking mirrors before merging is equally important as it ensures that you are aware of surrounding vehicles and their positions. This awareness helps in making informed decisions about when to merge safely, as it allows you to assess if there is enough space and whether it's safe to proceed. In combination, these practices promote safe lane changes and facilitate smoother traffic flow, ultimately contributing to highway safety.

Other choices, such as speeding up quickly, can create dangerous situations by forcing other drivers to react unexpectedly. Looking only in front limits awareness of surrounding traffic, which can lead to oversights and accidents. Avoiding any lane changes might reduce immediate risks, but it does not address instances where merging is necessary, thus potentially leading to hazards when it's unavoidable.