There is probably no driver who has never been stuck in a traffic jam. This is especially the case on busy roads such as highways. This is where traffic jams often occur, for example due to a construction site and the associated bottlenecks or an accident. The following explains how it is best to avoid traffic jams in order to be stress-free on the motorway.
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Avoid traffic jams – how is this possible?
The brake lights and hazard warning lights for the drivers in front light up, the flow of traffic slows down until at some point nothing works. We’re talking about traffic jams. Most of them know this situation and would like to avoid it. Traffic jams have been shown to cause stress, especially in important moments like on the way to work. But everyone can help prevent this scenario or at least ensure that the traffic jam clears up again as quickly as possible. Around 60% of traffic jams result from the misconduct of individual drivers.
Avoid heavy traffic
There are traffic jams on many motorways, especially during the summer holidays. This is to be expected, especially on Saturdays, as this is a very popular arrival and departure day. Therefore it is better to start on Sunday or Monday. Many take this into account when submitting their vacation. The time of day is just as important. The risk of a traffic jam is higher in the morning than in the very early hours of the morning or at night. Outside of the holidays, the rush hours are morning or evening rush hour traffic.
Detect traffic jams with the navigation device and radio
Construction sites with narrow lanes or significant speed limits and accidents are just as likely to cause traffic jams. A navigation device can help here and redirect accordingly. This offers the possibility of avoiding the traffic jam. The warning, which also appears on the radio every half hour, should be taken seriously. Often it is also stated how much additional time needs to be planned. However, the alternative routes are quickly overloaded. It makes more sense to use it in the event of a full block. A traffic jam that is less than ten kilometers long usually takes more time to leave the motorway. Another option is to drive to the next rest stop to take a break that has already been planned. Perhaps the traffic jam will dissolve during this time, so that it was used sensibly.
Avoid wrongdoing
Ineffective behavior by road users also encourages traffic jams and must be avoided. These include frequent lane changes, driving up tightly, abrupt braking, disregarding the right-hand driving law and incorrect zip fastening. This can cause traffic to stall and eventually come to a standstill. A changing driving speed of road users also increases the risk. This can be prevented by a steady, anticipatory driving style. If the traffic is still moving slowly, it is advisable to continue driving slowly at a distance of about two car lengths instead of suddenly accelerating or braking.
Summary
A very high volume of traffic, construction sites, or accidents quickly cause traffic to stall or come to a complete standstill. Many traffic jams are caused by incorrect behavior on the part of road users. This is to be avoided. It is also important to find out about traffic jams on a regular basis, for example using the radio or navigation system. However, it only makes sense to avoid a long traffic jam and a full closure, as the corresponding routes are just as quickly overcrowded.
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Max Anthony
Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.
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