Photo by Benjamin White: https://www.pexels.com/photo/highway-interchange-12929014/
It’s that time of year when children return to school while college students venture back to their campuses. For everyone, it means traffic in the morning is about to get more crowded. Let’s explore the best ways to manage morning traffic.
Manage Morning Traffic by Planning Ahead
Planning for the next day always stands as a good idea. Generally, we all use an alarm to awaken us in the morning. For many people, after following a sleep-wake schedule for a certain period, your body’s circadian rhythm allows you to wake up from sleep on your own around the same time. But setting an alarm remains a good idea to avoid oversleeping. Plan to check your alarm is active before sleeping for the night to ensure you get up on time.
Do you take lunch to work? If you do so, avoid the crowded morning traffic by making your lunch the night before. This task will give you more time in the morning to do all the other things you need to do before driving to work. Preparing your lunch in advance can also get you out the door quicker, helping you avoid the heaviest traffic. Perhaps you will make sandwiches for your lunches. If so, remember to separate the bread, deli meat, and toppings so your sandwich doesn’t get soggy at lunchtime. Even if you decide to bring a frozen meal or leftovers, you will still need to pack them appropriately for your workday. So, habitually packing lunch the night before will save you time in the morning and help you avoid the school and work traffic.
Know the Roads
We are accustomed to our schedule, but when summer comes around, we might notice that traffic is less congested and might subconsciously start leaving the house later than usual. When school starts again in the fall, we must return to our usual schedule and plan to leave the house earlier than during the summer months. You should be able to gauge the difference between the summer and the other nine months and adjust your schedule accordingly.
You may also try taking an alternate route than you do in the summer. Test the roads before the morning to ensure the roads are not closed or construction does not slow down traffic. There are several cell phone applications that will give you real-time alerts for traffic jams, accidents, and construction. Some apps even have voice controls for hands-free navigation. Above all, you must be careful and not allow these apps to distract your driving. When you can do so, you should avoid roads near schools. If you live by a school or university, there is even more reason to follow the above strategies for planning ahead.
Being Vigilant in Morning Traffic
Know that even when we leave early, heavy morning traffic will still occur. How can we best avoid problems in these situations? You don’t want to get in an accident. We must remain calm, drive safely, and be aware of the impatient drivers. Some drivers will act irrationally, so we must practice vigilance to avoid car accidents. Don’t zoom in and out of lanes. Understand that other driving lanes may appear better than your current one, but staying in the driving lane you need to turn in can help you avoid missing the street where you must turn. Have you ever snuck into another driving lane only to find it abruptly comes to a halt? Then, the driving lane that you left is now moving faster. Yes, I think we have all been there. Experts advise you to get into your exit lane a mile before you exit.
It also remains an excellent idea not to travel too close to other vehicles. If a driver suddenly steps on the brakes, you might hit a vehicle when you suddenly stop your car, and you will arrive late for work. The National Safety Council recommends the three-second rule for the space between you and the vehicle in front of you. According to the council, “When the vehicle in front of you passes a stationary object on the side of the road, begin counting ‘One-Thousand One, One-Thousand Two, One-Thousand Three’…Then, you should pass that same object.” Also, they recommend adding one more second for hazardous weather like rain, snow, or roads with construction.
Did you find this article insightful? Please read further helpful reading about seven parenting hacks for a winning school year.
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