If you’ve ever driven down a two-lane road that narrows into one, you’ve probably witnessed the chaos that often follows—sudden stops, aggressive lane changes, and angry honking. But transportation experts say it doesn’t have to be that way. A method called the “zipper merge” offers a safer and more efficient alternative, and those who practice it have earned a name: Merge Masters.

The concept is simple. Instead of merging early when signs indicate a lane ending ahead, drivers should use both lanes fully until reaching the merge point, then take turns merging in an alternating fashion—just like the teeth of a zipper. This approach is supported by traffic research, which shows it can reduce delays by as much as 40%, cut down on rear-end collisions, and lower the risk of road rage by promoting fairness and predictability.

While early merging to “get in line” may feel polite, it actually creates more problems than it solves. When drivers merge too early, it leads to a long, slow-moving line in one lane and a mostly empty adjacent lane—wasting available road capacity. This imbalance contributes to congestion, uneven traffic flow, and sudden braking that increases the likelihood of accidents.

Zipper merging, on the other hand, uses both lanes fully and allows for an organized, efficient merge at the point of lane reduction. It relies on cooperation and timing, not competition or guesswork. Traffic engineers emphasize that late merging isn’t rude—it’s smart. And when done properly, it helps everyone reach their destination faster and with less stress.

According to CFX, being a Merge Master isn’t about pushing ahead or cutting others off—it’s about understanding how traffic is designed to work and helping it flow as efficiently as possible.

In Horizon West, drivers can utilize the zipper merge when exiting SR 429 north to travel southbound on the Turnpike, when SR 429 south reduces from 3 to 2 lanes, and traveling south on Ficquette Road.

To learn more about the technique and how to put it into practice, visit the Central Florida Expressway Authority’s page at cfxway.com/merge-master or AAA at aaa.com.