Traffic Congestion is Down, But Frustration is Up According to IBM Survey

Traffic Congestion is Down, But Frustration is Up According to  IBM Survey

According to IBM’s Global Commuter Pain Survey that was released this month, drivers face less congestion on their commute but their frustration has skyrocketed. Surveying 8,042 commuters in 20 cities on six continents, IBM found this perception is a worldwide problem.

It would appear that if congestion is down, driver satisfaction would increase, but that wasn’t the case according to the study’s findings.  The study also revealed that more people are taking public transportation instead of driving compared to last year.

The worst traffic congestion was found in Mexico City, and the best in Montreal. But what about those drivers in cities where the traffic is somewhere in the middle and not quite as bad? Unfortunately, a number of respondents in many cities reported that traffic congestion has increased their anger and stress and affected how they behave at school or work. The increases in the amount of anger and frustration related to driving were significant for many cities.

Here’s a breathtaking statistic:  There are more than one billion cars on the road worldwide, according to the IBM study, and that translates to a lot of angry people behind the wheel. The good news is that more people are willing to use public transportation, and 41 percent of those who participated in the survey feel public transportation can help reduce traffic congestion. Drivers in cities such as Los Angeles said that accurate information about road conditions on a timely basis would help reduce stress.

The study ranked the emotional and economic toll on people who drive for their commute in each city. The index took into account 10 issues:

1) commuting time

2) time stuck in traffic

3) price of gas is already too high

4) traffic has gotten worse

5) start-stop traffic is a problem

6) driving causes stress

7) driving causes anger

8 traffic affects work

9) traffic so bad driving stopped

10) decided not to make trip due to traffic.

The least painful commute belongs to Montreal, and close behind are London and Chicago. Los Angeles ranked at number 34. New York City did better than Southern California’s major city, coming in at number 28. Interestingly, New York, which was among the 15 cities surveyed in both 2010 and 2011, reported increases from year to year in the number of respondents who said traffic in their city had improved somewhat or substantially over the past three years.  24% of the 2011 respondents from New York stated traffic had improved compared to 12% of the 2010 respondents. But even though traffic had improved in the Big Apple, 45% of 2011 respondents said that traffic had increased their stress levels compared to 13% in 2010. Los Angeles also showed significant increase in the number of drivers who said their stress levels on the road have grown—44% of 2011 respondents versus 21% in 2010.

And here’s an added alarming statistic: Eleven of the 15 cities surveyed in the last two years show increases in the number of drivers who said roadway traffic makes them angry. In New York, 35% of respondents stated this for the 2011 survey versus 14% in 2010. In Los Angeles, 29% of respondents stated this for 2011 versus 14% in 2010.

Communities worldwide are using the data from the survey to design solutions to ease traffic congestion. In the meantime, a lot of drivers still have to deal with delays on the road. The only thing drivers can control in the short term is their temper. Keep cool, breathe, and stay safe.

If you are in an accident, you need support. The Accident Attorneys’ Group provides their clients the expert legal help to win results. You can feel confident that the car accident lawyers who represent you know your concerns, and the issues you face with crowded roads, freeways, and highways that can lead to automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, bus accidents, and truck accidents. The car accident lawyers know these issues from the inside and out—as legal professionals and as citizens who share the road and live in the communities.

The Accident Attorneys’ Group serves clients in many locations across the United States, and has car accident lawyers to represent you in San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange County, San Fernando Valley, Ontario, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Las Vegas.