Rush Hour Traffic | How to Survive The Unpredictable Rush Hour

So it’s almost the end of the workday after you were asked to stay back an extra hour and now you’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of the final tick on that clock. The sun seems to be shining a little brighter than it was at 10 o’clock, people are a bit more positive, today is ending on a great note.

You get to your car thinking it is going to be the normal ‘’25 minute’’ commute with light traffic. You drive out and then it hits you. This is not my normal hour. This is rush hour. So now you’re stuck in the type of traffic where you somehow come to a complete stop. Put the vehicle in park, and you now know that you just screwed up. Well, there is no turning back now. Literally. You can’t move. However, there is a way to make the struggle easier and more enjoyable while remaining safe.

Here are great tips to help you get through rush hour traffic

Relax – This may sound cliche but stressing and worrying in a stuck situation does nothing but make the situation worse for you. You have to understand that you are stuck and it’s not going to change for awhile. Take a few moments to gather yourself and ease into the realization that this is not going to be quick.

Turn your Music on – For most people it’s hard to concentrate if they are listening to music while they are driving. However, if you’re at a stop then, by all means turn on your 90’s R&B mix and take your mind off of the current. It really does help.

Counting games – I don’t care how lame or childish this may sound, it works. Try counting how many cars are on the highway that shouldn’t be or how many blue Altimas you can spot. This is really fun with an extra person, but also works well alone.

Keep magazines in your car – Depending on the severity of the traffic, you can either be sitting for 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or 3 hours. More than likely it will 30 minutes. So, always keep a couple copies of your favorite magazine to help take your attention off. While you’re not moving.

Enjoy Nature – Roll your window down, breathe in some fresh air, maybe there is a lake nearby or a few mountains to the left of you. Whatever it may be, Take it in and enjoy it. Some things are taken for granted, and this is one. It also gives you a clear perspective on life sometimes. You may go into a deep thought and in little time traffic starts to move.

Call that person back who you had to hang up on during work – This may be a bit specific but I we have all had that moment where you quietly answer and say I’ll call you back after work. But never do. Call them now, have a conversation, time will move quickly.

Keep your muscles relaxed – Tensed driving handicaps your reflexes and creates more of a hesitation rather than a proper reaction. When you are relaxed you can think clearer and react easier in the right times. A tensed mind is a nervous mind. Which turns into a dangerous mind. Then turns into a hazardous mind. In other words; If you are a tensed driver, either try to relax or please for the safety of everyone else, don’t drive.

Here’s What to do once traffic starts moving | Rush Hour Driving

All of these rush hour driving tips can easily help the time to fly by until traffic gradually begins to move. Now once traffic begins to move, immediately look for an opening to the left. As I am sure you know, that’s the fast lane. It won’t be at all fast now. However, when traffic clears up, you can easily make up ground in that lane. Then the mistake that many people do once they find an opening, they look for the next opening.

Wrong. There is a reason that the first lane opened up. There is ultimately less traffic in that lane and less of a traffic jam. So basically overall you will have a shorter trip compared to the rest of the lanes. Once you’re in that lane, stay at a constant speed depending on how slow or fast everyone is going. If everyone is going 25 mph, you need to go 20. This limits how many times you will stop and go.

I personally never understood how everyone at one point can be sitting still. It makes you wonder what the people at the front of the line have done or are doing. Was there a crash? Is it that one person that is always going 30 mph below the speed limit? Or maybe there is an evil force attacking this lane! (Obviously not). Whatever it is, we have to always remain calm and simply get through safely. There was a study done in 2013, and it turns out that 13% of all fatal accidents happen during rush hour.

Take a look at what Esurance has to say. ‘’Though cramped city driving is known to whiten our knuckles, it’s not city roads that feature in the scenes of most fatal accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that, in 2013, nearly 3,000 more fatal car accidents happened on rural roads than on busy urban streets.’’

It makes sense. When everyone is so close together going 80 mph at times, things can happen. One wrong swerve and there goes the wallet and incomes hospital bills. It is not a joke. It is very sad, however, what’s worse is that it can easily be avoided. I appreciate you visiting us here and taking the time to read our articles! For more information and consistent great content, stay here for more. Also, If you would like to sell a vehicle of yours for an instant cash offer, fill out our offer form to get started today!