Summer is coming, which means plenty of sunshine, days out, and guaranteed good weather. But despite all of summer’s perks, it also means lots of cars on the road, traffic jams, air pollution, and even car accidents. Even without the long hot summers, we have all experienced congestion building on the highway for no apparent reason. If you have a new driver at home, or three – yikes! help them to understand their responsibility in not adding to the slowdowns.
It can be frustrating, and it’s this kind of frustration that can encourage drivers to make poor decisions. Add to that an inexperienced driver and you have a recipe for driving recklessly to get through the congestion quicker. Next thing you know, they have tried to drive in the same spot as someone else trying to get through quicker. In other words, they are in an accident – get in touch with a law firm if you think you have a personal injury case. This kind of congestion is often caused by other drivers who may not realize that their actions can cause miles of backups.
So, what can drivers, both yourself and your teens, do to help limit traffic jams? Read on to learn some of the key things to go over with your teens. Being prepared should they face one of these instances, or knowing how to avoid them altogether is key.
Rubbernecking
It may not be a term you are familiar with, but rubbernecking is something most of us are probably guilty of. If there is a crash on our side or the other side of the road, many of us slow down so we can take a look and check out the damage. It is curiosity and human nature – however, it can cause congestion and miles of traffic jams, especially if driver after driver is guilty of slowing down to look. It is also classed as distracted driving which means crashing yourself is more likely.
Slow drivers in the fast lane
If you are driving at a sensible speed, but not pushing near the top end of the speed limit, stay out of the fast lane. Moving into the fast lane at a considerably slower speed will make the driver behind you brake and then the traffic will begin to build. In some areas, you may even be pulled over and given a citation for driving too slow in the high-speed lane.
Also, slow driving in fast lanes has many times led to accidents. For instance, if you are in the fast lane and somebody else drives slowly on the same road, it can cause an accident, and you could be severely injured. According to expert lawyers at https://www.pisegna-zimmerman.
Avoid breaking down
A lot of traffic jams are caused by cars that have broken down and are then blocking the road. You can avoid breaking down by conducting regular maintenance checks on your vehicle. It may seem obvious, but don’t let yourself run out of gas. If you do break down make sure you pull over as far as you can and put your hazard lights on.
Consider public transport
One standard city bus that is filled to capacity can take as many as 30 cars off the road. So, we can limit traffic jams by taking the bus, the train, or even cycling instead. It may not be the coolest mode of transportation in your teens’ eyes, but it should be encouraged. Perhaps your children’s group of friends can make it cool.
Avoid driving during rush hour
By taking action and avoiding driving during peak times, drivers can help to limit traffic jams. This isn’t always suitable if you need to be at work before 9 am, but when it is feasible, try it. My husband leaves 15 minutes earlier than he needs to and avoids the rush of traffic. He actually arrives 30-40 minutes earlier than when he leaves those 15 minutes later. Those few minutes really make a difference.
Avoid construction zones
When driving in an unfamiliar area, or the side of town you seldom visit, check to see if there are any road construction projects going on. These areas often narrow the traffic flow from 3 lanes down to one. That is a lot of vehicles being funneled together. Don’t be one of them – find a different route. GPS may be great to get you from one place to another, but they may not always be up-to-date on the latest traffic patterns. Waiting until you are close enough to the detour only adds you to the traffic. You may have been able to find an alternate route starting closer to home to avoid the congestion altogether.
Hopefully, some of these tips will help you and the drivers in your home. Not only will you be helping to keep the roads less congested, but you may also be avoiding being involved in an accident. Not driving in congested traffic saves time and gas as well. When you can, it is a win all the way around. When you cannot, knowing how to get through a sticky situation makes it easier.