5 simple ways to do your part to reduce traffic

Nobody likes sitting in traffic. We try to find the best ways to avoid it so that we don’t become late to work, miss social events, or become stressed. Also, traffic congestion produces air pollution that negatively affects the environment as it creates serious breathing problems in young children and the elderly. Not to mention, your vehicle is burning up more gas as this will lead you to spend extra cash filling up your tank at the pump.

You can do your part in preserving the environment, saving money in gas costs, and relieving the unwanted stress by reducing the amount of traffic out on the roads. Read these 5 tips to help you reduce vehicle traffic.

Tip #1: Avoid Peak Times

There are certain times of the day when more vehicles are on the roads, usually people heading to work or school in the mornings and people heading home in the evenings. Also known as rush hour traffic, major cities of San Francisco, Miami, Houston, and Seattle all have the highest traffic congestion levels between 56-percent up to 77-percent, according toTomTom North American Congestion Index.

You can cut down on your time spent with your car idling in slow traffic by driving when there are less vehicles out on the road. Try to schedule trips to the bank and errands such as the grocery shopping during afternoon hours — before or after the lunch rush — and later in the evenings after workers get home.

Tip #2: Car Shipping Companies

More people are making cross country moves to obtain better jobs or be closer to family members. If you’re moving yourself and your family, you may be wondering how to get all your vehicles to your new home.

Consider car shipping companies. These businesses will haul all your vehicles on one truck, which uses less fuel and allows you to avoid the headache of sitting in traffic. They will deliver it to your home so you don’t have to worry about having all your family members out on the road driving your vehicles, as they could become lost, stuck in traffic, or involved in an accident.

Tip #3: Carpooling

Sometimes you just can’t avoid the rush hour traffic and the congestion. But you can contribute less traffic on the road by carpooling. Carpooling is a great way to get to and from work. You won’t always have to drive, which reduces stress, and each person can take turns driving. This saves on the wear-and-tear to your vehicle and car maintenance costs. Carpooling also promotes better traffic flow and less air emissions in the environment.

Tip #4: Planning Routes

Before you go on any trip, plan out your route so you can avoid any road construction or other traffic jams.There are numerous apps available for your smartphone that will tell you in real-time about traffic congestion. These apps allow drivers who are actually on the road to send information to other phone users concerning traffic conditions, according to Daily Crowd Source.

Tip #5: Public Transportation

Public transportation can get you to your destination on time while reducing the amount of traffic on the roads. Public transportation drivers are continually updated on road conditions by their dispatch so that if there is an accident, the drivers can adjust their routes to avoid vehicle congestion. It is also cheaper to take public transportation and less stressful as you don’t have to sit in traffic wondering if you will be late for work and you can catch up on reading, social media, or listen to some new music.

Other Ways To Reduce Traffic

These tips are only a few methods that you can use to reduce traffic. There are certainly other ways, such as walking or bicycling, that can also get you to your destination. Share your ideas