Highway driving should be the easiest kind of driving. Everyone is moving in the same direction at predictable speeds, the lanes are wide and the rules are simple. Yet for some reason, highways bring out the wildest behavior you’ll ever see on four wheels. Tailgaters glued to your bumper, drivers who sit in your blind spot for miles, lane drifters, speed warriors and people who treat the passing lane like a sightseeing tour lane — they’re everywhere. You can’t teach manners or fix stupidity on the road, but you can outsmart it. These eight tricks will keep you calm, safe and in control even when everyone around you seems determined to make the highway stressful.
The Gentle Slowdown for Tailgaters
A tailgater isn’t trying to hit you. They’re trying to go faster than you. That’s the key to defusing them. If you brake hard, you risk a collision. If you speed up, you reward their behavior. The smartest move is subtle. Lift your foot slightly and bleed off just enough speed to annoy them without causing danger. Their frustration almost always sends them around you rather than into you. And if they still refuse to pass once the lane is free, move over as soon as you can. There’s no victory in keeping a reckless driver trapped behind you.
Leave the Passing Lane If Someone Wants It
Some drivers sit in the left lane because they believe doing the speed limit gives them the right to stay there forever. In reality, the passing lane exists for one purpose — passing. When someone behind you clearly wants to get around, let them. Sliding right for five seconds is faster and safer than encouraging tailgating, weaving or aggressive overtakes. You’re not responsible for enforcing the speed limit. Your only mission is getting home safely.
Outsmart the Blind Spot Hoverer
The blind spot camper is one of the most annoying highway characters. They match your speed perfectly and refuse to either pass or fall back. Hovering next to your rear quarter makes lane changes unpredictable and stressful. The safe fix is light and controlled: ease off a couple of kilometers per hour. Most hoverers don’t even realize they’re doing it and will either drift forward or make the pass once the pace mismatch appears. It’s safer than speeding up and dragging the problem with you.
Avoid Getting Trapped Between Trucks
Highways are full of transport trucks, and most of them are driven by professionals who take safety seriously. The danger isn’t the trucks themselves — it’s being pinned between them. If one needs to change lanes or brake suddenly, you have nowhere to escape. If you see two trucks side by side, don’t stay stuck between them. Either move ahead decisively or drop back and give yourself room. Think of space as currency on the highway. The more you have, the safer you are.
Treat Drifters Like Hazards
The drifter doesn’t signal. They don’t hold a lane. They speed up and slow down randomly like they’re multitasking their way through the highway. They aren’t malicious — they’re distracted. That’s what makes them dangerous. The key is distance. Don’t stare at them angrily in the mirror. Build a gap. Whether you slow down or pass, put their unpredictable movements far away from your bumper. Your stress goes down, and so does your risk.
Escape the Weaving Speed Demon Early
Nothing good ever happens around a driver who slingshots between lanes chasing microscopic time gains. These drivers rely on luck instead of judgment. You don’t want to be beside them when that luck runs out. When you see them carving through traffic, don’t wait until they’re on your bumper. Make space preemptively. Switch lanes or slow a little to let them go. Once they’re gone, the whole road gets calmer.
Plan Every Lane Change Like a Chess Move
Highway accidents often happen during lane changes because people assume instead of verify. Bad drivers make this worse by cutting into blind spots or pacing beside you. Before switching lanes, build a three part habit. Signal early to influence traffic, double check mirrors for closing gaps and look over your shoulder because mirrors can lie. It takes two seconds but prevents one of the most common highway crash scenarios — moving into a space someone else thought was theirs.
Never Turn an Ego Battle Into a Road Battle
Highway aggression is almost always triggered by pride. Someone tailgates you, cuts you off or blasts by you and you feel disrespected. But the truth is, they didn’t do it to you specifically. They do it to everyone. If you chase, brake check, block or compete, you convert irritation into danger. The fastest way to win a highway confrontation is to refuse to participate. Let the other driver vanish into the distance. You get peace and they get boredom.
The Real Secret to Highway Survival
Safe drivers don’t survive highways because they’re lucky. They survive because they treat traffic like a flowing system instead of a competition. They avoid chaos before it becomes chaos. They predict behavior before it happens. Bad drivers exist on every highway in Canada and the US, and they’re not going anywhere. But you don’t have to get caught in their storm. Distance, patience and strategy take you farther than anger ever will — and they get you home every time.
25 Facts About Car Loans That Most Drivers Don’t Realize
Car loans are one of the most common ways people fund car purchases. Like any other kind of loan, car loans can have certain features that can be regarded as an advantage or a disadvantage to the borrower. Understanding all essential facts about car loans and how they work to ensure that you get the best deal for your financial situation is essential. Here are 25 shocking facts about car loans that most drivers don’t realize:
25 Facts About Car Loans That Most Drivers Don’t Realize
