“Handling Traffic"
Traffic is regarded as one of the most inconvenience-causing things in the world. It causes delays, accidents, and anger. The world of civil engineering has worked hard to combat the challenges of traffic by designing roads and intersections to operate as smoothly as possible, but with the rapid influx of individuals during certain times of day and year, traffic is inevitable. In this blog, we will give four tips on dealing with traffic.
Remain Calm: One of the biggest causes and irritants in traffic is our emotions. Traffic can be a stress-inducing activity. Cars are on all sides, and people are most likely in a hurry to go somewhere. Remaining calm will give you the best headspace to maneuver through traffic as smoothly as possible. Many crashes and increases in traffic are caused by rash decision-making. Remain calm if you find yourself getting stressed; look back at a previous installment of a blog from September 08, 2024, for assistance.
Slow down and only change lanes when necessary: Cars are all around you. Going slower reduces impacts and gives you more time to react. You may have properly adjusted mirrors, but there are still blind spots. It is also difficult to see around masses of cars, especially at night or in direct sunlight. When changing lanes, change them cautiously yet deliberately. Studies have found that constant lane changing only cuts off minimal time savings. Lane changes also account for four to ten percent of all vehicle related crashes. With this in mind, staying in your lane may be the best option.
Use your signals: Clearly indicate your intentions. If you are slowing down, indicate this by pushing your brake, and your rear brake lights should turn on. When making a lane change, indicate early. Sudden movements can be dangerous and can cause others to have to make sudden movements. In a crowd of people, it is a good bet one person will incorrectly make a sudden movement. Also, be on the lookout for signals. It may be easier and safer to slightly adjust your driving to allow someone to make a lane change rather than them trying to fit into a less desirable location that may put you in harm's way.
Get rid of distractions: Distractions distract us from the road. This leads to us missing things in front, behind, or to our sides. It prevents drivers from strategising and planning their next maneuvers. It may seem like a good time to check your phone or grab something, but in traffic, the gaps and spaces are smaller. Even a 3 to 5 second text message can cause an accident. With constant starting and stopping, it is easy to rear-end someone if you are not paying attention.
Traffic is not fun. It causes delays and dangers. In the event of traffic, stay under control both mentally and with your vehicle. Pay attention to those around you and give them space when needed. It is almost always the case that at some point, you will break past the traffic and reach your destination.