No one certainly wants to spend time in a blocked car among a bunch of other cars that are either moving slowly or not moving at all. Unfortunately, such a picture can be seen every day everywhere in the world, especially in cities whose roads have long been designed for fewer vehicles than the city has.
Such situations require great patience and caution when moving because vehicle collisions happen more often. To help you stay safe in busy traffic, we prepared the six best tips for you, so keep on reading.
No Surprises
Be predictable when in traffic. This is always good advice, but it is even more important in busy traffic. So check the mirrors, so you don’t have to rely entirely on the side assist system to warn you of vehicles behind you.
Use direction indicators on time and correctly. When you tend to get out of traffic, it’s right to show where you plan to turn first, and then start braking for the maneuver. When the turn signal is on, do not wait too long to maneuver while driving, as you may confuse other drivers and slow them down for no reason.
Expect Unexpected
Keep in mind that even if you follow all the rules, it does not mean that other drivers will do the same. If you adopt good driving habits, you will find it easier to notice drivers who drive badly, and you will be better prepared to react to any unexpected maneuver in congested traffic.
For example, if you live in Houston, you are probably aware that, especially in the morning, there is a lot of traffic and buses that transport workers to work or children to school, and this is an even bigger reason to be careful. Bus accidents frequently result in serious injuries because, as this bus accident lawyer in Houston explains, passengers on the bus do not have seatbelts or airbags to help avoid injury. Even if the bus collides with a smaller vehicle, individuals on board might sustain significant injuries. In the event of an accident, be sure to seek the help of a legal representative to be instructed on what to do for the best outcome. The lawyer is the one who will best explain everything you need to know.
Busy Traffic During the Holidays
Holidays, especially the New Year, are a time of increasing vehicle numbers on the streets. Although the crowds do not last all day, mostly for a few hours, moving around the city can be several times slower than usual. If you are planning to travel with your family or friends for the holiday, make sure you do it the day before or very early in the morning; otherwise, you will need a couple of hours to get out of town.
Morning and Afternoon Rush Hours
The traffic in the city is intensifying at a time when people are leaving and returning from work. This means that, if you can choose, avoid driving in the morning from half-past seven to nine o’clock and in the afternoon from four to half-past five. Fridays are the busiest at this time. Crowding at that time can be avoided if, instead of big roads, you decide to go along parallel smaller streets when possible.
Traffic jams increase when certain roads are closed due to work on the road and traffic is redirected to other directions.
Watch Out For Pedestrians
Large cities also have a large number of pedestrians and pedestrian crossings, especially in the central city center. The streets are mostly narrow, and there are big traffic jams. That is why you should always be careful and ready for slow driving and frequent stops. You must also pay attention to cyclists and motorcyclists, among whom there is also a large number in the city center. Look in the rearview mirror as often as possible, drive at a reduced speed, and always be ready to brake.
Caution to Young Drivers
Drivers who have just passed the driving test should avoid traffic jams and drive in difficult circumstances. During the driving training in the driving school, the candidates will be informed in detail about the complexity of movement in traffic jams. Also, during the practical training, they will have the opportunity to experience some important situations that are great lessons for their future driving.
We hope you find these tips useful. The next time you go during rush hour, forget about your worries and concentrate on driving. This will help you improve your driving habits on each trip, which is useful for you as well as for other road users.