Merging onto highway, who has right of way?

Question

I imagine that this varies state to state, but who must yield when traffic is trying to merge onto the highway in NJ? I have heard people tell me either way, and a search on the internet did not yield any results. In some instances, cars have very little room to merge and must immediately get onto the highway or come to a full stop blocking all other traffic trying to merge and traffic trying to exit. In this case it would make sense to me that the merging traffic have right of way.
However in other cases cars have plenty of room and there is no crossing traffic trying to exit, so in that case it would seem to me that the traffic already on the highway have right of way.

Is there a law in NJ about yielding to merging traffic ?

What do you do in the case where you are merging onto a highway and you are getting up to speed but someone already on the highway speeds up to prevent you from merging. Here in NJ, this happens alot. If I am trying to merge onto a highway and someone starts speeding up to block me, what should I do? They have the right of way... is blocking someone from merging in this manner legal?

Answer 1

I can't speak for NJ in particular, but , generally speaking, the highway traffic has the right of way and it is up to the merging traffic to match the speed of the highway traffic in order to merge safely. Properly done, merging is a very easy and safe procedure...but it is dependent on the ability of the merger to match the speed of the existing traffic.
The situation you describe, with an exit ramp in close proximity to an on ramp, makes this difficult, if not impossible. I live in CA and we have an intersection of 2 major highways near me that is like that...it is always a challenge.

Answer 2

In NJ there are no laws that say who has the right of way when traffic merges onto a highway. Traffic merging onto a highway has a yield sign. Because the merging traffic has a yield sign, highway traffic has the right of way only because of the yield sign. The problem is that people merging onto the highway don't want to slow or stop as they are required and seem to think that everyone else has to make way for them.

Answer 3

The highway traffic has the right of way... generally people merging have a yield sign which means that they need to give right-of-way to the highway traffic.

Of course, people ignore that sign and just try to jump into traffic going 40 mph while everyone else is going 60+.

Answer 4

Merging traffic must yield to through traffic. Check the rules of the road. This question is on the driving test.

Answer 5

The person trying to merge with traffic must stop. Freeway traffic has the right of way

Answer 6

Through traffic always has the right of way.Stopping or slowing on an "On Ramp" can be fatal and is dangerous!Accelerate to the posted limit,blend in,DON'T BARGE IN!Use you're signal,99% of the drivers out there are moving to the left anticipating merging traffic.Watch for the 1% er who won't move over.Speed up if you have to then adjust you're speed and lane position accordingly.Always be smooth and courteous,have you're cell handy to report drunks.The drunk you don't report could be the one who gets you killed.........

Answer 7

According to the NJ MVC Drivers manual,

"Motorists must yield to traffic already on the roadway before moving from an acceleration lane into the proper lane."

Answer 8

I would assume that the traffic already on the highway has the right of way. I know around here (in florida) I'd much rather wait until the highway traffic is clear before I take my chances of pulling out onto the highway where someone is in their own mindstate driving away.

Answer 9

Traffic already on the highway has right of way. If they speed up to block you, slow down to let them pass. If you hit them, you are at fault. Nothing in the rules say you have to be courteous.

Answer 10

It is the responsibility of the person who is merging to do so in a safe manner. Period. If your lane is ending, you are the party solely charged with entering the open lane of traffic in a manner that doesn't endanger other drivers.