What are the traffic rules for merging from a secondary road into a main road?
2 Answers
When merging from a secondary road into a main road, the traffic rule is to slow down and yield to vehicles on the left. Below are the relevant details: 1. Regulations: Article 43 of the "Road Traffic Management Regulations" states that when vehicles pass through an intersection without traffic signals or traffic signs, they must follow these rules to yield in sequence: non-motorized vehicles on undifferentiated branch and trunk roads must yield to motor vehicles; non-buses and trams must yield to buses and trams; vehicles of the same type must yield to vehicles coming from the right that have no oncoming traffic. 2. Precautions: If a collision occurs between a secondary road vehicle and a main road vehicle, even if the main road vehicle hits the rear of the secondary road vehicle, the traffic police may still hold the secondary road vehicle fully responsible. Therefore, when merging from a main road into a secondary road, it is essential to slow down and proceed with caution.
After driving for so many years, I've concluded that the most crucial rule when merging from a side road onto a main road is yielding to vehicles on the main road. Since main road traffic has the right of way, you must slow down to almost a complete stop when entering from an auxiliary lane and carefully observe the flow of traffic from the left. I encounter these merge points daily during my commute, especially during rush hours when main road traffic is dense. I always signal my intention early with turn indicators while scanning blind spots. Once, I neglected my mirror's blind spot and nearly got rear-ended by a truck—fortunately, I managed to brake in time. Remember to control your speed; don't accelerate to force your way in, as this can catch main road drivers off guard. Safety comes first—wait patiently for a gap before merging, or you risk traffic violations or fines. Chinese traffic regulations clearly state that side road vehicles must yield; violations result in penalty points. I recommend that beginners practice this maneuver more, testing it on empty roads to get familiar with traffic conditions. In short, develop good habits: slow down, observe, yield, and signal.
