{"id":7452,"date":"2023-08-01T09:00:48","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T14:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/?p=7452"},"modified":"2023-08-01T14:14:48","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T19:14:48","slug":"10-tips-for-dealing-with-heavy-traffic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/auto\/10-tips-for-dealing-with-heavy-traffic\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips for Dealing with Heavy Traffic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5353 size-medium aligncenter lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.topdriver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/10-Tips-for-Dealing-with-1-480x197.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"197\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 480px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 480\/197;\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Few things are more frustrating than getting stuck in a massive traffic jam. Whether it\u2019s caused by a crash on the road, construction, or general rush hour backup, driving in traffic is less than ideal and can also be dangerous. Here are 10\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.topdriver.com\/education-blog\/tips-dealing-heavy-traffic\/\">tips for dealing with heavy traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Slow Down<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>When there are more cars than usual on the road, it will naturally slow you down. While you might be tempted to try to drive faster to avoid delays, that can cause a crash. Always remember to proceed with caution \u2013 obstacles can come out of nowhere. Keeping your eyes peeled at all times will keep you safe.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t Weave<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Don\u2019t weave in and out of other cars; rapidly switching lanes to try to get ahead of the traffic is very dangerous. Other drivers can\u2019t predict what you\u2019re going to do, so they may change lanes as you\u2019re approaching. Likewise, you don\u2019t know what other cars are doing, so the safest move is to stay in one lane unless it\u2019s necessary to move.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Use Indicators<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>At times it seems like many drivers don\u2019t use signals on the roads. When there are lots of other drivers around, it\u2019s important you let them know what you\u2019re doing. While you shouldn\u2019t be weaving in and out of lanes, sometimes you do have to get over. Letting people know what you\u2019re doing is not only safe, but will also make it easier for you when a driver lets you in front of them.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If you are changing lanes or turning, remember that almost all states have a 100-foot (typically 5 second) limit for turning on your blinker.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Plan Ahead<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Proper planning can keep you from having to deal with heavy traffic all together. A few variables to keep in mind include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Weather \u2013 inclement weather (snow, rain, fog) can all lead to backups.<\/li>\n<li>Road Construction \u2013 It seems like there are two seasons when it comes to driving \u2013 winter and construction season. Know the areas with road construction so you can avoid them and keep your trip shorter and more enjoyable.<\/li>\n<li>Events \u2013 Festivals, game days, holiday parades, etc. can cause heavier than normal traffic.<\/li>\n<li>Time of day \u2013 Simply planning around rush hour (AM &amp; PM) will lead to a much more enjoyable commute.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Even if you do plan for all of these, you can still run into traffic. That\u2019s why it\u2019s best to always have an alternate route to your destination. Ideally, knowing a highway &amp; side-street route so if one fails you, the other can step up.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><strong>Remove Distractions<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>It seems obvious, but it still needs to be stated \u2013 no one should ever text and drive. Stay focused on the road at all times. This is even more important when driving in heavy traffic. Just because you\u2019re moving slower doesn\u2019t make driving less dangerous. A large change occurs when moving from a slower speed to a dead halt.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The average text message takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. With a lot of other cars on the road, this small amount of time is enough to cause a major crash. Avoid sending texts, checking emails and even changing radio stations when in traffic. If you do have to send a text or make a call, get off the road first.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li><strong>Know Appropriate Distances<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>It\u2019s recommended to keep 3 seconds between you and the driver in front of you. A good way to measure this is with steady objects. Begin counting when the car in front of you passes a light pole, and if you get to three before you pass the same light pole, you\u2019re in the safe zone.<\/p>\n<p>Keep your eyes open for brake lights as well. If the driver in front of you starts to slow down, the same distance should be kept.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong>Drive Proactively<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Always expect the unexpected. Just because you\u2019re practicing safe driving doesn\u2019t mean that everyone around you is. Sometimes it\u2019s malicious, sometimes it\u2019s just a mistake. Either way, being ready to avoid others is crucial in heavy traffic situations.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"8\">\n<li><strong>Stay Cool<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The worst thing you can do while driving in traffic is lose your patience and get angry. Getting angry on the road can lead to aggressive and irresponsible driving, putting everyone on the road in danger.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Some tips for keeping yourself calm could include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Listen to music you like<\/li>\n<li>Have an audiobook playing<\/li>\n<li>Listen to a podcast that calms you down<\/li>\n<li>Take 3 deep breaths<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Realizing the road is a public good \u2013 it was made for everyone \u2013 can also help you stay a little more calm.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"9\">\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t Stare\/Gawk<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>It\u2019s commonplace for heavy traffic situations to be coupled with a crash or emergency. If this is the case, don\u2019t let that change your focus. Keep your eyes on the drivers around you and road in front of you. Don\u2019t turn your head to stare at a crash that isn\u2019t involving you<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li><strong>Take a Break if Necessary<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you feel yourself getting anxious, angry, or impatient, take a break. Pull off at an exit and stretch your legs and take a few deep breaths. The extra minute or two you take will make a world of a difference.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Hopefully armed with these tips, you can conquer the next heavy traffic scenario you\u2019re faced with. Remember, getting to your destination safe is the number one priority for all drivers on the road.<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-share text-center\">\n<div class=\"is-divider medium\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"social-icons share-icons share-row relative\"><\/div>\n<div>https:\/\/topdriver.com\/education-blog\/10-tips-dealing-heavy-traffic\/<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Few things are more frustrating than getting stuck in a massive traffic jam. Whether it\u2019s caused by a crash on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"16","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_analytify_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-auto"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/116"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7452"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7452\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aipflorida.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}