5 Tips for Dealing with Heavy Traffic

More than 200 million adults in America drive an average of one and a half hours every day. If you’re already driving more than an hour every day, spending even more time on the roads due to traffic probably feels like torture. There is a major traffic problem in the U.S., and it just seems to be getting worse. Rush ‘hour’ has lengthened to several hours of peak traffic, and stress levels among drivers just keep getting higher. While driving in heavy traffic is sometimes unavoidable, learning how to avoid it whenever possible and how to deal with it when you do get stuck in a jam can help make your driving experience much less stressful no matter how many cars are on the road.

Time it Right

When it comes to avoiding heavy traffic, timing is key. If you time your drive carefully, you can usually escape the heaviest rush-hour traffic. Try to avoid driving—especially on the highway—between the hours of 7 to 9 a.m and 4 to 6 p.m. to avoid getting caught in peak rush-hour traffic. Depending on where you live, rush hour in your area might be different. In big cities, morning rush hour can start as early as 6 a.m. and last until 10 a.m, and evening rush hour can extend to 8 p.m. or later.

Timing your drives around the heaviest traffic helps you avoid the worst congestion on the roads and can save you hours on longer drives. If you have to get somewhere at a specific time, it’s almost always worth it to to time your drive so you don’t have to deal with rush-hour traffic—even if you have to leave earlier than necessary.

Stay Focused

One of the easiest times to get distracted while you’re driving is in a heavy traffic jam. When you’re stuck at a virtual standstill in stop-and-go traffic, it’s much more tempting to sneak a peek at your phone since you’re moving at such a slow speed—if you’re even moving at all. Contrary to popular belief, distracted driving in a traffic jam is not any less dangerous than it is on a road that’s completely clear. In fact, failing to focus and drive carefully in heavy traffic is actually a major cause of car accidents and collisions. Staying focused on the road in a traffic jam is just as important as avoiding distracted driving at any other time, if not more so. Find other safer ways to entertain yourself in heavy traffic—like listening to your favorite playlist or an audiobook or podcast that interests you—to help yourself resist the temptation to check your email or scroll through your social media.

Assume the Worst

Worrying that you’re not going to make it to your destination on time is probably the source of much of the stress and frustration you feel when you’re stuck in heavy traffic. If you need to be somewhere at a specific time, it’s better to leave yourself more time than you need rather than risk arriving late.

To make sure you have plenty of time to drive where you need to go, always assume the worst possible scenario in terms of traffic and road conditions. Consider factors beyond rush hour—like harsh weather, road construction, and local events—can all significantly increase traffic. When you feel like you have plenty of time and are not in danger of being late to something important, dealing with a traffic jam without getting stressed or angry is much easier.

Drive Defensively

Defensive driving is especially important when you’re driving in heavy traffic. Braking and accelerating frequently and suddenly in stop-and-go traffic increases the risk of accidents and pile-up collisions. Always keep a safe distance between you and the cars in front of and behind you. You should stay far enough away from the car in front of you that you can easily see the bottom of its tires.

Also, stress levels are extremely high among drivers in traffic jams. You’re likely to get cut off or blindsided by cars and motorcycles aggressively weaving through lanes in an attempt to fight the traffic around them. Always keep your eyes on the road and keep your cool. Use your blinkers and mirrors responsibly and drive defensively—not offensively.

Take Back Roads

Traffic is almost always heaviest on highways, especially during rush hour. When you don’t want to deal with stop-and-go traffic, try avoiding highways altogether and take back roads instead. If you’re driving in a traffic-heavy area where you aren’t familiar with back roads, use a navigation app on your smartphone. Most popular navigation apps give you the option to indicate that you don’t want to drive on the highway and calculate an alternative route for you.

Taking back roads isn’t a perfect solution. Alternative back road routes don’t offer the same straight shot drive that highways do. Plus, when traffic is really heavy on the highway, many other drivers get the same idea and back road routes get clogged up as well. However, these back roads are usually at least slightly less congested than the highway. Taking an alternative route during peak traffic times helps you avoid the stress and frustration that comes with slogging through very heavy traffic, even if you end up driving a few miles out of your way.