What should a motorcycle rider do before merging into traffic?

Before merging into traffic, it is essential for a motorcycle rider to signal and check mirrors and blind spots. This process is critical because it ensures that the rider is aware of the surrounding vehicles and possible obstacles before changing lanes or merging. Signaling communicates to other drivers the rider's intention to move, which is important for safety and helps prevent accidents.

Checking mirrors allows the rider to see what vehicles may be approaching from behind, while looking over their shoulder helps to identify any vehicles that may be in the blind spots. This comprehensive approach increases the rider's situational awareness, providing a better understanding of the traffic conditions and ensuring a safer merging process.

The other choices do not address the importance of adequate awareness and signaling effectively. Simply speeding up and merging quickly increases the risk of collisions, ignoring the surroundings compromises safety, and signaling without checking misses crucial information about other vehicles that could lead to dangerous situations. Therefore, the practice of signaling and thoroughly checking mirrors and blind spots is fundamental for safe merging in traffic.