Buzz
This is a list of actions that every driver can take to greatly improve traffic conditions. Most of them align with the basics taught in driver's education classes. By applying these tips, drivers can help ease traffic flow, particularly in busy urban areas with extensive expressways, parkways, and toll roads.
10. Drive with Caution and Awareness
You might consider yourself the most skilled driver on the road, just like I do and many others. Defensive driving involves assuming that other drivers might be slower to react, more distracted, or less aware (like the young lady above). Since you can’t control how others drive, all you can do is stay as responsible as possible on your own part of the road. It’s more about adopting a mindset than mastering a specific technique. The aim is to maintain smooth traffic flow by preventing situations that would require other drivers to react, and by ensuring you have enough time to respond to any potential hazards yourself.
9. Activate your cruise control
Cruise control is one of those features that functions best when everyone takes advantage of it. If the driver ahead of you is struggling to keep a consistent speed, it will be challenging for you to maintain a steady pace or distance unless you're able to overtake them. The same goes for the vehicles behind you. Because cruise control relieves you from constantly adjusting your speed with the pedal, you’re in a better position to respond quickly by braking if necessary. Just be mindful not to let the convenience of it distract you from staying focused.
8. Be mindful when merging
You're cruising down the highway and spot a construction zone ahead where two lanes merge into one. The traffic buildup occurs for two main reasons: drivers in the continuous lane refusing to let others in, and drivers in the blocked lane trying to race ahead. It's a frustrating cycle; many drivers cut in because they can't find an opening in the continuous lane, and those already in the lane often block these gaps to prevent others from sneaking in.
While congestion is inevitable when the same number of cars are funneled onto fewer lanes, drivers can help reduce it by merging into the continuous lane early and leaving sufficient space ahead to allow others to merge as well. This is an example of how your driving behavior can affect traffic flow much further down the road.
7. The Two-Second Rule
The ideal distance between you and the car in front depends largely on your speed. Some drivers are taught to maintain one car length for every 10 miles per hour of speed. A more commonly used method today is the 'two-second rule,' which suggests leaving two seconds of space between you and the car ahead. To measure this, choose a fixed spot on the road, such as a signpost, and ensure that two seconds pass between the moment the car in front passes it and when you do. The distance covered in two seconds increases with speed; at 60 MPH (96.5 KPH), this equals 176 feet (53.6 m).
6. The Alternate Two-Second Rule
Reaction time is useless if you're not able to respond at all. In addition to distractions or being under the influence, fatigue or boredom can significantly impair your ability to drive. Even if you’re not feeling tired, your mind can wander away from the task of driving. Avoid staring at one thing for more than two seconds. Shift your focus regularly between the road ahead and important driving information such as the speedometer, dashboard gauges, or mirrors. When looking away from the road, do so only for as long as it takes to gather the necessary information—no more than two seconds.
5. Always Look as Far Ahead as Possible
If you only focus on the car directly in front of you, you'll only have as much time as it takes to travel the distance between you. However, by scanning further down the road, you give yourself a better chance of spotting potential hazards or changes in traffic before they happen. Predict what the drivers ahead might do—will the guy in the souped-up Nissan slow down, or will he try to pass the elderly woman driving the LTD on the shoulder? Think ahead about what you would do if something goes wrong based on what you see ahead.
4. Look before you change lanes
Remember, we're aiming to keep the flow steady and slow. If you do need to switch lanes, make sure you do it in a way that doesn't force other drivers to react abruptly. Those side mirrors on your car? They're meant for checking for obstacles. But, let's face it—every car has blind spots that the mirrors can't cover. A quick glance over your shoulder can help you determine if it's safe to change lanes without putting anyone else at risk.
3. Don’t tailgate, unless you're at a cookout in a parking lot...
It's been shown that tailgating is the primary cause of those frustrating 'phantom' traffic jams. You know the ones—where all lanes suddenly slow to a crawl for miles, and just when you expect to see a massive pile-up, the traffic miraculously clears up without any apparent reason. More often than not, these jams are caused by tailgating. The concept is simple enough to be demonstrated with just three cars, all following each other too closely. When the car in front taps the brakes, the second car has to brake harder to avoid a crash, and the third car ends up slamming on its brakes even more, almost coming to a stop. A few moments later, the cars resume their normal speed, like nothing happened. Now, imagine this happening on a much larger scale, affecting thousands of vehicles.
Phantom traffic jams move against the flow of traffic in huge waves, which can be spotted from above or, under the right conditions, seen coming towards you. The key here is that distance equals reaction time. If everyone maintained enough space between their cars to react properly, there wouldn't be a need for drivers at the back to slam on their brakes. The space between vehicles breaks the wave, absorbing its energy and preventing it from spreading further.
Maintaining a safe distance also gives you a clearer view of what's happening ahead of the car in front of you. You'll have a better chance to spot potential hazards or what the driver in front might need to react to, as you're not just staring at the back of their vehicle.
2. Drive at the actual speed limit
To paraphrase the late, great George Carlin, 'Ever notice how everyone driving faster than you is a maniac, and everyone driving slower is an idiot?' The real speed limit is set by the traffic around you. The key to smooth traffic flow is to go with it. If everyone on the road is cruising at a steady 70 mph, the one driver going 55 is going to cause disruption in at least two lanes: the one they're in, and the ones the drivers behind them have to move into to pass.
On the flip side, the Cannonball Run enthusiast speeding 20 mph faster than everyone else will be weaving in and out of traffic to maintain that speed. Not only will they probably not make up much time, but they’ll force other drivers to react to their lane changes. I know it sounds like I’m advocating for speeding just because everyone else is doing it, but keeping pace with traffic can actually help improve safety.
1. Stay to the right, pass on the left
If you're the type of driver who sticks strictly to the posted speed limit, no matter what the actual 'flow' of traffic is, then your best move is to stay in the right lane. And by 'right,' I mean the correct lane. In the U.S., that’s the right side, not the left. By doing this, you reduce the disruption to traffic caused by faster drivers needing to switch lanes to pass you. It helps keep the overall traffic flow smooth and uninterrupted.
If some jerk comes up behind you, flashing his lights and tailgating so closely that you can practically see his white knuckles, just merge to the right if possible and let him go. He's a disruption to the flow, as well as a jerk. He'll likely create congestion wherever he goes, but the further he is from you, the less of an impact his actions will have.
