To safely turn right and merge into traffic moving 55 mph, how many seconds of gap do you need?

When making a right turn and merging into traffic that is traveling at 55 mph, it is important to have a sufficient gap in the oncoming traffic to ensure safety. The generally recommended rule of thumb is to have a time gap of about 10 to 12 seconds to safely merge into that speed of traffic.

In this scenario, selecting 11 seconds as the time gap is appropriate because it accounts for the speed of the vehicles on the road. It allows adequate time for the merging driver to accelerate and establish a safe position in the flow of traffic without creating a dangerous situation for themselves or for other drivers. This duration provides a comfortable buffer to navigate through the intersection and to achieve a speed that matches the 55 mph traffic, thereby minimizing the risk of collision.

While a 5-second gap might be insufficient, and anything beyond 11 seconds could be overly cautious, the choice of 11 seconds balances safety and practicality for merging purposes.