Coeur d’Alene drivers may feel that one of the most dangerous parts of any trip out of town can be on the on-ramp to I-90. It’s a stressful merge for motorists entering the interstate and sometimes stressful for those already on the interstate.
Drivers can make mistakes while trying to join lanes, and frightening multi-car accidents aren’t rare.
We can help you if you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by another driver’s carelessness while merging in Coeur d’Alene or anywhere in Northern Idaho. Please contact CCD Law for a free, no-obligation case consultation to find out what your case is worth.
Who Has the Right-Of-Way When Merging in Coeur d’Alene?
Idaho’s State Code addresses who should yield in a merging situation on a highway (or interstate). It’s actually the person trying to get on the highway who has all the responsibility. They must slow down or speed up to match traffic and find a safe place to enter.
Drivers already on the highway don’t have a legal responsibility to make room for entering cars. It is considered a nice gesture by Idaho drivers to help cars trying to get on the highway or to switch to another lane.
“Vehicle entering highway. The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from any place other than another highway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on the highway to be entered or crossed.”
- Boise Police also ask that Idaho drivers who are trying to merge use their signal to indicate where they intend to go
- Offenders who merge unsafely can face a citation and at least a $90 fine
Drivers who merge recklessly on highways like U.S. 95 and cause accidents can be held liable for the accidents they cause. Victims can file claims to get their car repairs covered, their ER bills paid, and help replace any time and money they’ve missed at work.
Unfortunately, insurance adjusters can get defensive when recovery costs get expensive. Victims sometimes need a skilled Coeur d’Alene car accident lawyer to help them earn everything they need to rebuild their lives after a serious accident.
Construction Zone Merging in Idaho
Highway interchanges aren’t the only stretches where merging accidents are a risk. The constant construction on local boulevards and I-90 also creates opportunities for some frightening side-swipe and rear-end collisions.
When a lane is coming to an end, the responsibility to merge safely still rests with the driver who must get over.
When lanes are closed down by road crews or by an accident ahead, the instinct for drivers is to merge with the other lane as quickly as possible. However, Idaho transportation officials ask that those stuck in lanes use something called the “zipper” method.
Experts say that drivers in dwindling lanes should wait until they get to the end of the lane and then merge with traffic like a coat zipper comes together. They say this method is safer and actually keeps traffic flowing better.
The Idaho Department of Transportation posted a helpful video showing how the “zipper” method works:
How to Know When You Need a Lawyer for Your Coeur d’Alene Car Accident Case
If a merging accident leaves you with very minor injuries or just a crumpled vehicle, you may not need a lawyer’s help. But when you suffer a more serious injury, like a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a neck or back injury, or a bone fracture, and a careless driver is to blame, a lawyer may provide a strong advantage to earn you more for recovery.
More serious injuries mean you’ll have higher medical costs and more lost time at your place of work. These escalating damages mean a car insurance company will fight even harder, and sometimes twist the facts, to try to limit what they must pay. A lawyer can help protect you from their tactics and often earn you much more in compensation.
Contact CCD Law for a free, no-obligation case review. Find out what your injuries are worth before an insurance adjuster tries to “lowball” your needs.
And if you require our help to get the most from your claim, you don’t have to worry about how you’ll pay an attorney’s fee. CCD Law doesn’t charge anything unless we win your case. Then we are paid out of the settlement check that the insurer is forced to send you.