Why Do Highways Get Congested?
4 Answers
Highway congestion occurs due to several reasons: 1. Free tolls during holidays greatly stimulate drivers' enthusiasm for self-driving trips, leading to overcrowded highways and traffic jams; 2. Accidents on the highway ahead cause vehicles to be unable to pass, resulting in congestion; 3. Road construction on certain sections of the highway; 4. Severe weather conditions prevent all vehicles from driving at high speeds, turning the highway into a low-speed road. China has an excessive number of toll stations on highways. Even if all toll stations are open and free during holidays, the narrow passageways at toll stations inevitably cause vehicles to slow down. The reduced speed of one or a few vehicles passing through does not cause issues, but if millions of vehicles continuously slow down to pass, it will inevitably lead to overall low traffic flow, thus creating congestion.
There are many reasons for highway traffic jams, and I have experience with them. Overloaded traffic is the most common, especially during rush hours or holidays, when the road capacity is limited, and all vehicles cram together, easily causing congestion. Accidents are also a major issue; a minor collision can trigger a chain reaction, causing vehicles behind to slow down and pile up into a traffic jam. Severe weather conditions like heavy rain or fog make everyone drive slower for safety, reducing the overall flow speed and leading to congestion. Poor lane design, such as too many entrance ramps causing merging conflicts and slowdowns, or construction zones narrowing lanes and slowing traffic, can also increase congestion. Toll booth queues add to the hassle by wasting time. It's recommended to use navigation apps to check real-time traffic conditions, avoid peak hours and construction zones, and reduce unnecessary stress to prevent delays in your journey.
Soon after I started driving, I understood the frustration of traffic jams. The main causes include traffic accidents—even minor fender benders can block an entire lane, causing chain-reaction congestion; excessive traffic volume, especially during rush hours or holidays, leading to routine road overloads; chaotic conflicts at merging points like lane intersections; poor weather conditions such as rain or snow, which slow traffic and cause backups; and construction or repairs that temporarily close lanes, forcing slowdowns and long queues. A solution is to use smart devices to track real-time traffic conditions and choose the best route. Preventive measures like traveling during off-peak hours and reducing unnecessary trips might help. Personally, I feel that controlling speed and maintaining a safe distance can reduce risks.
Highway congestion stems from an imbalance between demand and supply. Accidents cause standstills, entrance conflicts lead to deceleration, and traffic accumulation occurs. Construction limits passage, while holiday peaks and overloading result in widespread delays. Rain and snow add uncertainty, reducing efficiency and slowing overall operations. The core solution lies in optimizing road networks to eliminate bottlenecks, applying intelligent traffic management to enhance mobility, dispersing flow sources, and minimizing disruptive factors.
