It’s no secret that America has a serious traffic issue, and that this traffic congestion can lead to serious injuries and deaths for our motorists. Even in the middle of a global pandemic, with fewer people driving around, there was an eight percent increase in traffic deaths during last year.
How does traffic congestion cause this much death and destruction? What causes traffic congestion to appear in the first place? How can we minimize the deaths and injuries resulting from traffic jams? Here’s what you need to know.
What Causes Traffic Congestion?
The primary cause of traffic congestion, and thus any automobile accidents that occur because of it, is the inability of the current roads to handle the number of people on them. Any time the number of people driving on a stretch of road exceeds its usual capacity, you’re going to experience a traffic jam.
The reasons behind this can vary. However, some contributing traffic congestion causes include:
Poor or Crumbling Infrastructure
The United States hasn’t focused on building or rebuilding its infrastructure in a long, long time. That’s part of the reason for the current bipartisan infrastructure bill that’s been proposed by the White House. When there aren’t enough roads or the roads are too narrow, it can cause serious traffic congestion.
Inclement Weather
Inclement weather leads to a lot of both congestion and accidents. People don’t seem to know how to drive safely in the rain or snow, which can cause serious accidents. Speaking of…
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Another Accident on the Road
Another major cause of traffic congestion is the presence of another accident on the road. Again, drivers love taking their eyes off the road to see what happened to the other cars and drivers. This leads to not only traffic slowdowns but runs the risk of another accident happening.
How Can Traffic Congestion Cause Car Accidents?
Now that we’ve addressed the usual causes of traffic congestion, let’s dive into how this congestion can lead to traffic accidents. Some of the ways that traffic congestion causes car accidents can include:
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Limited Space to Maneuver
During periods of high traffic congestion, there’s often limited space to maneuver. It’s hard for cars entering and leaving the congested area to find places to fit in. Worse, due to the stop and start motion of traffic, those spaces can shrink or expand at a moment’s notice.
All of this gives people few opportunities to change lanes, leave the traffic jam, or get onto the road. This increases the likelihood of a collision.
Raised Stress Levels=Less Responsible Driving
Think about the last time you were involved in serious traffic congestion. Were you in a good mood while you were stuck in traffic?
Chances are, no, since traffic is one of the biggest causes of road rage. When people feel emotional, especially angry, they don’t tend to drive responsibly. It’s harder for them to get off of the gas or step on the brakes in time. Plus, they’re more likely to drive in aggressive ways, cutting off merging and entering drivers.
Any time you try to cut off merging traffic, you run the risk of a serious accident.
Not Paying Attention to the Flow of Traffic
Of course, another way traffic jams cause accidents is due to people not paying attention to the motion of traffic. If you’re certain you’ll be stuck in a location for a while, you might zone out while you wait. Jam out to some music, text your friends or your boss that you’re going to be late.
While you’re doing this, you’re not paying attention, and cars behind you can get impatient for you to move. Or worse, you may miss oncoming traffic when you finally start to drive again.
How to Prevent Accidents During Traffic Jams
Traffic congestion tends to bring out the worst in people, even otherwise responsible drivers. So, how can you prevent a simple traffic jam from turning into a tragedy? The best steps to take include:
Pay Attention
Distracted driving is one of the biggest reasons people will call an auto accident attorney these days. Whether you’re focused on your phone, fiddling with your console, eating, or drinking, you aren’t paying attention to the flow of traffic. If you aren’t paying attention, you may miss obvious shifts in the way traffic moves. Or worse, miss the cars moving in to merge with your lane.
Obey the Rules of the Road
Granted, every driver should always obey the rules of the road. Follow posted speed limits, give ample following distance to the vehicles in front of you, signal your intent before you move, etc. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, and you can’t count on the other drivers to follow those rules. All you can control is your own compliance or noncompliance with all local driving laws.
Don’t Let Emotions Run High
Hey, we get it. Traffic jams are frustrating for everyone involved. We all have places to be, people to see, things to do. Many of these things are time-sensitive. Worse, the bad behavior of the other drivers can cause a serious spike in stress and frustration levels.
However, we must counsel calm in this situation. Traffic congestion is never fun, but being involved in a traffic accident will set you back for far longer. You’ll have to contact the police, medical help, your insurance, and your attorney. All of which is an order of magnitude more stressful and frustrating than being stuck in traffic.
It’s not worth losing your head.
Looking for More Information to Help You Stay Safe on the Road?
Traffic congestion is one of the largest contributors to traffic accidents and deaths each year. However, as long as you keep calm and follow the flow of traffic, you should be able to remain safe through the traffic jam and get back on track.
Did you find this article about the connection between traffic congestion and car accidents helpful? Are you looking for more road safety tips and tricks? If so, then check out our blog today for more content like this!
