Chapter 32: Freeway Hazards
Merge Points
Every on-ramp is a point where you should expect merging traffic, even if no vehicle is currently visible entering — glance toward each ramp as you pass it out of habit.
Construction Zones
Expect narrowed lanes, lower speed limits, and workers close to traffic. Fines for speeding through an active construction zone are typically doubled in California specifically because of the elevated risk to workers.
Stop-and-Go Congestion
Heavy congestion means sudden, hard braking from vehicles ahead with little warning — keep extra following distance even at low speeds, since a rear-end collision at 15 mph is still a real collision.