What should a driver do before merging back into the lane after passing another vehicle?

The best course of action before a driver merges back into the lane after passing another vehicle is to check if the lane is clear and ensure they can see the entire front end of the passed vehicle. This ensures that the driver has adequate space to safely merge without encroaching on the space of other vehicles, thus minimizing the risk of collision and ensuring that it is safe to return to the lane.

When checking to see the entire front end of the vehicle that has been passed, the driver is ensuring that there is sufficient distance between their vehicle and the other vehicle, confirming that the lane is, indeed, clear. Properly assessing the situation includes observing both blind spots and being aware of surrounding traffic. This practice promotes safe driving habits and helps prevent accidents caused by misjudgment of distance or speed.

Using a signal to indicate a merging intention is also essential, but it becomes most effective once the driver has determined that the lane is clear. Simply relying on mirrors or speeding up without checking the lane could lead to unsafe situations.