Weaving in and out of traffic is a dangerous action that people should avoid. It requires you to speed up quickly to move over, and some people make dangerous movements just to get around others.
Many people believe that weaving will help them get to their destination faster. The truth is that they’re right. Most people who weave will get to their destination a few minutes faster than another person. Why? They avoid slowdowns caused by people in front of them.
That being said, weaving also greatly increases the risk of a collision from side impacts, sudden stops and a loss of control during maneuvers. The time being saved is not worth the risk.
Weaving is dangerous, and it’s not much faster than staying in one lane
In two different tests, crews measured how long it took vehicles to get to their destinations. In the first test, one vehicle stayed in their lane. The other two weaved in and out of traffic. Over the course of 46 miles, the vehicles that weaved were able to get to the final destination just two minutes faster than the driver who stayed in their lane.
In the second test, a vehicle weaved in and out of traffic on the same journey. Another vehicle stayed in the fast lane throughout the drive. Again, the weaver did get there sooner, but only by three minutes. The vehicle that stayed in the right-hand lane showed up around 17 minutes later than the fastest vehicle (25% slower).
What this study showed was that weaving isn’t that much faster. However, choosing your lane wisely can help. Sticking to the fast lane helps drivers get to their destination quickly, and those in the right-hand lane may end up getting there much more slowly. That’s something to consider if you’re in a rush, because weaving itself has too many risks to justify arriving just two or three minutes faster than someone else (and even less if the drive is shorter than 46 miles).
If someone around you is weaving, be aware of their movements. Let them move over and pass you. Their speedy behavior could result in a crash, which is something you should be trying to avoid.