Insider Tips to Driving the Los Angeles Freeway System

Being from the Midwest, I was mildly dismayed to learn that my daughter had applied to colleges in the Los Angeles area. She was intent on visiting the potential schools, so we took an excursion to the West Coast during spring break.

Now, I'm neither a California native nor a resident, and the thought of navigating the hundreds of miles of freeway initially did not appeal to me. I like the relatively small, self-contained atmosphere of San Francisco, where there are plenty of mass transit choices in the Bay Area and you don't need a car. SoCal, well, that's an entirely different animal altogether. Los Angeles' freeways come with the bad reputation of grid lock and crazy drivers. My trip called for several forays into Los Angeles from San Diego and back.

To my surprise and delight, I found Southern California's freeway system actually manageable. In addition to a bushel basket's worth of highway numbers to contend with, there are also multiple lanes, including carpool lanes, heading in the same direction. While the sheer size of the system is enough to unnerve even the steadiest of drivers, if you plan ahead, you should be able to get from one side of Los Angeles to the other with no trouble at all.

The first thing a visitor should do is plot out a route. The easiest way is to use an online map aid like Mapquest, or a paper one like a current Rand-McNally atlas. A word of warning about Mapquest; sometimes the recommended routes take the roundabout method of getting you to your destination. If you don't mind a scenic tour, take the directions literally. Otherwise, take a look at a larger area map to see if the route is expeditious.

Once you have your route planned, check out California's transportation web site. This handy site will give you updates as to freeway conditions, including accidents and road construction. If conditions on your route look good, you can continue on your journey.

There are a few things a novice will need to know about Southern California freeway drivers. Once on the freeway system, drivers should merge with traffic and attempt to keep up with the flow. In my case, I don't like to speed, but I also didn't want to appear like a turtle in the middle lanes. If you are traveling with other passengers in the car, you can take advantage of the HOV (high occupancy vehicles) or carpool lanes. These are a godsend during rush hour, where the lone driver could easily become ensnarled in traffic. A word of warning: sometimes the carpool lane appears to head into a different direction than the rest of traffic. Keep your eye on your freeway signs and have faith.

While many don't do it, conscientious drivers like out-of-towners like me, should signal their intent to change lanes. Before changing lanes, use your rear view mirrors to make sure a speeding car or motorcycle is not coming up fast behind you. In California, motorcyclists can change lanes between lanes, and I almost had a heart attack the first time one buzzed past me within inches of my car.

If you don't have the luxury of a co-pilot, write down or print out your directions and keep them nearby. Make sure they are clear.

On July 1, California enacted a law forbidding cell phone use while driving, so put away your phone. If you have to make a call, pull over first to eliminate any chance of getting a citation.

I found the Los Angeles freeway system to be easy to use. During the week of our visit, I was only in one traffic jam, and that was due to construction near the airport. Incidentally, I only saw one accident and it was minor. For the most part, traffic moved quickly, especially in the carpool lane.

It takes only a little common sense and alert driving to master the Los Angeles freeway system.