London is the city in the world with the most traffic jams and where citizens lose more hours in dense traffic. But Spain is not free from crowds either, with Madrid and Barcelona at the forefront. It is estimated that a person from Madrid spends 159 hours a year in congestion, a figure that rises to 161 in the case of the Catalan city.
In both cases, the average time to travel 10 km by car is 18 minutes, and the average speed is estimated to be 29 km/h.
After Madrid and Barcelona, the most congested cities are Valencia, Gijón, Seville, Vitoria, Málaga, Zaragoza, Granada and Palma de Mallorca. A traffic jam occurs, basically, when the number of vehicles that arrive at a certain point approaches or exceeds the capacity of the road.
Although there are no infallible recipes to avoid them, taking into account some recommendations we can reduce the number of hours wasted behind the wheel of the car.
Trying to avoid the days and hours of greatest influx of vehicles and the roads where the greatest problems are expected, planning our trip, is an alternative to avoid traffic jams and, at the same time, prevent them from occurring. Study our map, where we mark retentions, works, measures, incidents, etc. and establish the best itinerary. See also the infographic with the days and times that are expected to be the most conflictive and try to adjust your trips to less complicated hours. GPS, websites (for example, the one on the DGT ) and apps can also help to overcome these difficulties.
On many occasions, the reduction in lanes is caused by an accident – in Spain there is a metal impact every two minutes, more or less – or a breakdown, which temporarily reduces the number of usable lanes. The signaling of the same, by means of the triangles correctly located, warning other drivers, and the removal of the vehicle to the shoulder can not only reduce retention, but also avoid danger and new accidents. Checking the basic elements of the vehicle before embarking on the trip can avoid some “scares”.
On many occasions, additional retention occurs in the direction in which the accident occurred and even in the opposite direction. This is the so-called “voyeur effect”, drivers who slow down to “find out” what has happened or even brake. This, in addition to causing greater retention, carries the additional risk of causing new accidents. Avoid looking, even if your curiosity is “bitten.”
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Solidarity in the reduction of lanes
When the accesses/exits with the greatest number of lanes come to an end, when their number is reduced due to accidents, breakdowns or works, traffic jams occur that can degenerate into traffic jams. Experts like Mario Arnaldo (AEA) or Tomás Santacecilia (RACE) They have advocated the implementation of a mandatory alternative passage system for those who circulate in these cases (saturated exits, lane reductions due to works, breakdowns…). Some call it a “zipper exchange” and others “altruistic solidarity”, but it consists of the intermittent and alternate passage of a vehicle from each lane.
Aggressive driving, with braking and acceleration, constant lane changes, without keeping a safe distance, causes braking and, due to the so-called accordion effect, sudden drops in traffic speed, multiplying braking and travel times. Driving at a constant speed, anticipating braking, will not only allow you to save gasoline and avoid polluting emissions, but there are studies that ensure that by everyone driving at a lower but constant speed and maintaining a safe distance, the group advances more quickly.
Phantom Jams
On many occasions, traffic jams appear and disappear “as if by magic”, without a clear cause that justifies both their start and their end. These are called “phantom jams”. These are traffic congestions that occur without excessive traffic density on the road. That is to say, when, at least in appearance, everything would indicate that the infrastructure could adequately absorb the number of vehicles that circulate through it.
The explanation is that, if we do not respect the safety distance, a slight “touch of the brake” without enough space, generates an “accordion” or wave effect, without colliding with the car that precedes or precedes us. chained with the traffic that follows us. Vehicles behind the one that initially stepped on the brake will react the same, slowing down and even coming to a stop. The traffic jam from behind spreads faster than the reaction capacity (to gain speed) of the cars in front. In the end, whoever provokes it usually continues to circulate without problems, even without realizing the mess they have left behind.
We can find two types of situations in a traffic jam: the so-called “zipper effect”, consisting of alternating right-of-way in lanes with narrowing; or the “voyeur effect”, a traffic jam caused by the distraction of drivers who slow down and hinder the flow of traffic. The first situation is very positive when it comes to avoiding traffic jams since, alternating the passage, circulation is facilitated on both roads, promoting more fluid traffic and avoiding the formation of a traffic jam, when it comes to forming a single lane.
And the second, however, is really harmful. And it is that the distractions cause an “accordion effect”, that is, the reduction of speed of the rest of the vehicles. In addition, we must remember at all times that any distraction could cause an accident, so it is advisable to keep your attention on the road permanently.
