The important thing to learn is to merge sooner rather than later. Try to merge into a space big enough to accommodate your vehicle without making anyone step on their brakes. And always leave enough room in front of your vehicle, enough room, so that a truck could cut in front of you without slowing you down.
It doesn't matter if you are five feet or a hundred feet from the car or truck in front of you. Your not going to get where you're going any sooner if you get closer. So why even take the risk? And letting someone go in front of you doesn't slow you down (unless you are tailgating).
Teach people to look at the "big picture". They should be looking well ahead instead of concentrating on the car that they are following too close to. It's easy to see the big picture if you are not tailgating. When you tailgate, all you see is a back door.
Things like this are what city drivers need to understand to begin to see the big picture.
I've seen traffic jams occur in the middle of nowhere because so many drivers don't see the big picture and they try to drive faster than the flow of traffic.
So, if you know somebody who drives like Mr. Magoo, give them a copy of this newsletter. Or buy them an Audio Book- Ten Keys to Safe City Driving. Or at least explain to them how to prevent traffic jams rather than cause them.
How to merge, is probably the most important thing people need to learn, in most of the big cities. Too often they try to drive faster than the flow of traffic. And they even tailgate while merging. And when traffic is already going slow these people are still trying to cram their car into a space that doesn't exist.
When you merge it is so important to go the same speed as the people you are merging with.
While you are still on the ramp, NEVER go faster than the flow of traffic. That's why they put those traffic lights on entrance ramps. Because it makes all the cars bunch up on the ramp and it causes the highway to stop.
The trick is not to stop. If you stop on the highway you are causing a traffic jam.