While traveling to and from your place of employment, your commute could frequently consist of slowly making your way through heavy California traffic. In some cases, this aspect might even be an everyday experience, and you may even include the added time of travel in your scheduling strategies.
However, added travel time might not be the only concern of navigating through heavy traffic patterns. There may also be a variety of possible hazards involved with similar scenarios and reacting to potential threats while in traffic might not always be an easy task.
Traffic hazards
Because it might not always be possible to alter your commute to avoid traffic congestion, knowing some of the hazards you could face could prove vital to your safety. Some possible hazards you might encounter while driving in traffic may include:
- Distracted drivers: While sitting in traffic, drivers may be more likely to seek out things to occupy their time, and the resulting spread of distraction could pose a significant threat to your safety.
- Reckless behavior: Drivers who tailgate or constantly shift in and out of lanes may also run a greater risk of placing you in harm’s way and reacting to such behavior in heavy traffic could prove challenging.
- Intersection hazards: Faulty traffic lights and drivers who fail to yield right of way are just two examples of intersection hazards that could increase the chances of a major accident.
- Road conditions: Commuting through adverse weather conditions and poorly maintained roads can also be dangerous at times, and even if you take steps to stay safe under similar scenarios, others might not always do the same.
If your route consists of frequent on and off ramps or takes you through areas with numerous entrances and intersections, the constant merging of vehicles could also present unique threats to your safety.
Possible ramifications of a crash
While knowing the risks of commuting through heavy traffic could prove exceedingly beneficial, it might not always be enough to prevent a collision from occurring. You can only control so much of what takes place on the open road, and at least a portion of your safety may rest in the hands of others nearby. Should another driver fail to take the necessary steps to promote a safe atmosphere, there is a chance that the resulting collision could cause you to suffer serious or even permanent harm.