How to – Tips to avoid traffic jams

You are leaving your home afresh, with hopes to finish your day on a high note. Soon as you hit the road in your car, a massive jam welcomes you, and the distance you were supposed to cover in 30 minutes takes more than 1.5 hours. And no, this is not a once in a blue moon situation, but a regular affair. Yes, traffic jams can be a major sore point in your daily life and take a toll on your health as well as mental wellness.

According to a study, , the most in the world, while London tops the cities list with more than 100 hours in traffic. While India is not high on the list, it will take another year or two to touch the list, considering the rate by which cars are growing, especially in Metropolitans like Delhi.  

So, what should one do to avoid traffic jams? While the obvious answer should be to use public transport like Metro Rail or Local Train, it's not a viable and feasible option for many who travel from various parts of Delhi-NCR or Mumbai per se.

Here are a couple of pointers to keep you afloat and avoid jams wherever possible!

1. Avoid Rush Hours

One of the biggest challenges for any commuter travelling in Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore in a car is to get pass the rush hours. Metro cities in India attract a lot of employers from I.T industry, manufacturing sectors and many other job providers. Hence comes job seekers from various parts of India to earn their livelihood.

The general peak time for office-goer lies between 8-10 in the morning and 6-9 in the evening. To avoid rush hour, start a bit early and if possible, choose a different office shift.

What if you can't avoid rush hours and the only office shift you have, lies between the peak office time? Well, one way is to plan in advance and check Google Maps for any construction work, jams or re-route possibilities. And if your system is telling you to take an alternative route, do not think twice!

Thanks to navigation systems, people can now travel anywhere without asking help from anyone or using physical maps. But that's not the only things these navigation systems do. In fact, you can track minute-to-minute traffic update and real time position using either GPS devices or maps on your mobile phone.

If you commute daily to your office, you will know what days are generally congested and what days are not. Or is there any alternative route? Monday morning and Friday evening is generally jam-packed and so you can take and alternative route to home, even if it is a bit longer. Check maps for alternative routes, shortcuts and other possibilities and explore them. You never know when you will hit the jackpot.

As funny as it may sound, but the radio shows can actually help you in distress. More and more radio shows during the office hours are inviting people to call them and tell them about the jams. This way, anyone who is listening to the show can avoid a route and the pain of waiting.