Some South Africans work close to home, while many South African motorists commute to work daily, exposing them to traffic. How bad is the traffic in South Africa’s cities?
How bad is traffic in SA’s cities?1
The most severe traffic in South Africa can be found in Cape Town while Johannesburg is the second most congested city. The traffic congestion in East London is ranked third, followed by Pretoria and Durban. Cape Town is ranked 33rd overall on the world list, while Johannesburg ranks 44th.
How are South Africans dealing with heavy traffic?
Government authorities and motorists deal with traffic congestion. Traffic authorities assist motorists regarding traffic in South Africa’s cities.
Traffic officials examine traffic data via monitoring systems across cities. They research and develop ways to reduce traffic in key areas through motivating for the construction of additional road infrastructure. The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) is a major initiative to reduce traffic on Gauteng’s highways. Traffic officials may also deploy pointsmen to direct traffic on busy city roads.
The Gautrain
One effective way to reduce traffic is the introduction of effective public transport. The Gautrain high-speed train service offers a useful way for some to avoid traffic in Gauteng. Train routes run between major hubs in Gauteng. Motorists can park their cars at the train stations then catch a train to work. Buses also shuttle commuters to catch the Gautrain.
How could motorists deal with traffic congestion?
Traffic is unavoidable for many motorists while others find a way to avoid it. Many motorists send several hours each workday in traffic. There are several approaches that motorists make use of to deal with traffic during their daily commutes.
Flexi work hours
- Some motorists can avoid traffic by driving to and from work during off-peak times. They usually get to work early in the morning and leave before the afternoon traffic rush. Employers often let their employees do this, which is often referred to as flexi hours.
Share the load
- Lift clubs or car-pooling may help alleviate stress and traffic, plus reduce the cost of commuting. Make sure that your car insurance covers you for this, which is different from running a taxi service. Everyone takes turns driving if you and your colleagues take part in a lift club, which reduces stress. Lift clubs mean that fewer cars are on the road because several people drive in one car to work instead of the same people using their own vehicles to get to work.
Mobile apps3
- Navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze traffic app can help motorists avoid traffic in some cases and plan the fastest routes to and from work.
Radio stations’ traffic reports
- Traffic updates on popular radio stations can help motorists avoid traffic jams, and better plan their commutes daily.
There are many ways to help you cope with traffic on SA’s roads. However, you deal with your daily commute, remember to obey the rules of the road and to drive safely.
Affordable car insurance could also be considered as part of dealing with your daily commute due to the protection that it may provide. Perhaps consider getting affordable car insurance with PMD?
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
Advice for Safe Driving in Heavy Traffic! https://t.co/DaB8tDsC8v #ArriveAlive #Traffic pic.twitter.com/pVSccQ5fQj
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) March 10, 2020
Sources:
1 https://www.wheels24.co.za/News/traffic-woes-and-the-most-congested-city-in-sa-is-20170221
2 https://city-press.news24.com/Business/gautrain-is-on-track-to-expand-20160325
3 https://www.compare.com/auto-insurance/guides/top-3-best-traffic-apps