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Nearly 25,000 hours – we Swiss have been stuck in traffic jams on national roads for this long in 2021. had
89% of recorded traffic jam hours can be attributed to traffic jams, and the rest more to accidents and construction sites. Besides the nerves of the drivers, this also comes at a cost to the economy: the estimated cost of traffic jam times was 670 million francs in 2010 and rose to 1180 million francs in 2019.
However, in addition to the high volume of traffic caused by the significant increase in population, when traffic stops, drivers themselves are often to blame: chronic left-hand drive, erratic driving when traffic jams clear up again, and jumping a pointless gap between the left and right lanes by just a few meters, causing traffic to stop repeatedly. cause it to come.
With these 10 behavioral tips from the Federal Office of Highways (Astra), anyone can help keep our highways running smoothly.
one
Drive right, drive left
Always drive as far to the right as possible, even on three-lane highways. The middle and left lanes are for overtaking only! Signal in time before overtaking and return to the right lane as soon as possible.
2
no distractions
Your hands are on the wheel and your eyes are on the road. You should set up the radio and satellite navigation before driving and use it as little as possible while on the road. Only reaching for a water bottle is distracting – only when traffic conditions permit.
Absolute taboos are: using a smartphone, putting on makeup or shaving. This also applies if you have assisted systems such as autopilot enabled. You must be alert at all times and be able to intervene in traffic. Responsibility always rests with the driver!
3
keep distance
It should go without saying. Distance means safety! Use the two-second rule or keep half the speedometer in meters for distance. If you drive predictably, you can react to changes in speed and new traffic situations without having to brake too much. In bad weather and visibility conditions, you should not only adjust your speed, but also increase the distance.
4
just up
If you drive towards the highway, you have no right of way! As the name suggests, use the entire acceleration lane to accelerate and adapt your speed to the traffic. If you can’t find a gap, you’re allowed to continue down the fault lane until it converges.
5
drive properly
Enter the right lane on time at the latest 500 meters before the exit (second sign) and set the indicator 200 meters in advance. Caution: Only brake in the deceleration lane! That’s why it’s called that.
6
behavior in traffic jam
Stay in follow. Every unnecessary lane change hurts the traffic flow, and you’ll rarely get any faster. If a strip is missing, use all the strips up to the obstacle and apply the zip principle there.
7
Drive through construction sites
Drive steadily at the signaled speed. Use both lanes and drive with some stability in heavy traffic. If the lane next to a truck seems too narrow for you, line up behind it. When entering construction areas, maintain sufficient distance to allow oncoming cars to enter.
8.
behavior in the event of an accident
If you are involved in an accident, use the fault triangle to secure the scene of the accident as soon as possible. Don’t forget to wear your safety vest. If possible, park your vehicle in the fault lane and inform the emergency service.
If you are the first person involved in an accident, you are responsible for helping. Secure the scene of the accident, deal with the injured and notify the police. If victims are already being assisted, carefully but quickly drive past the accident site and do not look!
9
create a recovery strip
Leave room for emergency vehicles in every traffic jam, even if it doesn’t look like an accident. The emergency lane is always created between the two left lanes – normally between the normal and the overtaking lane.
10
break the traffic jam
If possible, try to drive outside of rush hour (6:30 – 9:00 and 17:00 – 19:00). Traffic jams during these hours cause the most traffic jams. Don’t drive alone, use all the seats in your car, or drive with someone using the same route.
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
