After driving onto the right shoulder to avoid a crash, how should you return to the pavement?

When returning to the pavement from the shoulder after avoiding a crash, the safest approach is to stay on the shoulder until you come to a complete stop and then move back onto the roadway. This method allows for a controlled and cautious re-entry into traffic, minimizing the risk of creating a hazard for yourself and other drivers.

By coming to a complete stop, you can assess the traffic situation more clearly. This gives you the opportunity to gauge speed and distance of approaching vehicles, ensuring that you can safely merge back onto the pavement without disrupting the flow of traffic.

Other approaches, such as braking hard and steering sharply or merging quickly, can lead to loss of vehicle control or create dangerous situations. Maintaining a steady speed while merging could also pose risks if the surrounding traffic is moving at significantly different speeds. Thus, the cautious method of stopping first is essential for ensuring safety and smooth re-entry into traffic.