Driving through Stigler, you don’t usually expect to be involved in near misses or auto collisions. For the most part, people drive safely, and you know your way around enough to avoid heavy traffic or congested roadways.
You can’t predict everything, though. A traffic crash could impact you even when you’re being as cautious as you can be.
Congestion is a problem on America’s roads
There are four forms of traffic congestion that happen in the United States. These include:
- Environmental congestion
- Human congestion
- Infrastructure-related congestion
- Mechanical congestion
Of those, three are considered to be “non-recurring,” and happen in one-off instances leading to traffic jams or slowdowns. Infrastructure congestion is the only one that is recurring, because it is a direct result of the infrastructure of the roadways in your area.
You can’t control most kinds of congestion, but human congestion is one element you can. Human congestion is caused by actions such as drinking and driving or speeding. When people make errors, they cause other drivers to slow down or evade them, and those actions can lead to serious crashes and injuries.
Why should traffic congestion matter to you?
When the roads are congested, there is a risk that you could be injured because of that congestion. For example, if you’re caught up in a traffic jam and traffic is moving in a stop-and-go fashion, you could end up being rear-ended by someone who stopped paying attention or be a victim of road rage when someone maneuvers into your vehicle while trying to get where they’re going.
Traffic congestion tends to slow everyone down, but it also increases the likelihood of people getting angry or frustrated on the roads. They could also become distracted, because if the traffic isn’t moving, they may not see why they have to pay attention at all.
Unfortunately, these actions can lead to crashes, and crashes may lead to further slowdowns and issues.
If you’re caught up in traffic and end up in a crash, know your rights. You can hold others responsible for failing to pay attention or follow the rules of the road.