Is it legal to merge multiple lanes at once in NC? We asked law enforcement
We’ve all seen drivers merge multiple lanes at once on busy highways and interstates in North Carolina.
Drivers who switch more than one lane could be trying to merge onto an exit, or they may want to get to their destinations faster.
However, doing so without signaling or checking your blind spot can lead to crashes.
▪ Crash data from 2010-2017 shows that the sudden lane changes caused about 17% of severe crashes in the U.S.
A dash cam video shared on Reddit last year shows a driver traveling at 65 miles per hour when a blue sedan to their left decides to change two lanes at once, resulting in a collision.
The maneuver may be unsafe in the wrong conditions, but is it illegal in North Carolina? We asked a law enforcement officer to find out.
Is it legal to merge multiple lanes at once in NC?
It is legal to merge multiple lanes at one time in North Carolina, Master Trooper Christopher Casey, with N.C. State Highway Patrol, told The Charlotte Observer.
“There’s no law that says you can only change one lane at a time,” Casey said, adding that drivers should do so “in a safe manner” by using their turn signals and avoiding cutting cars off.
Casey also referenced North Carolina’s unsafe movement law, which requires drivers to use turn signals before changing lanes.
Drivers who don’t use their turn signals and cause other cars on the road to change lanes or leave the road can be fined a minimum of $200, and those who cause crashes that result in injuries or property damage can be fined a minimum of $500, the law says.
This story was originally published October 10, 2023 at 10:44 AM with the headline "Is it legal to merge multiple lanes at once in NC? We asked law enforcement."
