Six Tips For Driving In Traffic

Driving can be one of the most wonderful experiences in the world when you have nothing but an open road in front of you and the freedom to go wherever you may want to. Then reality may hit and you end up stuck in an enormous traffic jam, watching people walking past your car as a light pace and wondering what the point of driving is in the first place.

We’ve all been there and it’s a frustrating experience for many. Unfortunately, traffic jams happen, so try to keep these pointers in mind the next time you find yourself crawling along at a snail’s pace.

Maintain Distance

There is going to be a lot of stopping and starting while you’re in the traffic jam, which means there is plenty of potential for a vehicle to stall or to lurch backwards while the driver is trying to move forward. As such, you must always make sure to maintain your distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.

Clutch Control

If you are constantly stopping and starting, you need to make sure you have great clutch control. Try to maintain your concentration even when the traffic jam is getting particularly tedious and make sure you fully understand how to use your clutch effectively when you are out on the road.

Watch For Pedestrians

There is something about a traffic jam that makes some pedestrians feel like they can ignore the proper road crossings that are near them in favour of weaving in and out of the halting traffic to get to the other side of the road. Make sure you keep an eye out for any pedestrians who might look to cross near you, as some will exercise poor judgement and won’t notice when a car has space to move forward as they cross.

Let People Know Your Intentions

Indicate whenever you make the decision to change lanes of it you are going to be turning at a junction, as there are few things more frustrating when you are in a traffic jam than to have somebody in front of you do something that is completely unexpected. This can lead to accidents, so make sure you continue signalling like you always would.

Play Some Music

While you shouldn’t be looking for things to distract you from the road, it is a good idea to take your mind away from the frustration that a traffic jam can cause. You need to keep your cool at all times, which is where a little bit of music can help. Losing your temper will only exacerbate the situation, so do what you can to prevent yourself from seeing red.

Brake Smoothly

With so much stopping and starting it can be easy to get carried away and start jolting forward before slamming the brakes as you come to another stop. This makes you unpredictable on the road, which is bad for other drivers. Make an effort to be as smooth as possible when stopping and starting, allowing others to have plenty of time to react to your movements.