Technology Offers Solutions to Traffic Woes

According to the Urban Mobility reports from the Texas Transportation Institute, the average person sits in traffic 30 hours a year. Now there are apps to help you beat gridlock and get home faster.

Waze  (Free)

This app allows you to see real-time traffic congestion and gives turn-by-turn directions to your destination. The app also allows you to find other Waze user and send them messages, a feature I don’t recommend. What makes Waze so handy is the ability of Wazer users to input traffic information into the app, such as traffic flow and speed. An added feature to keep people using the app is the game aspect; you get points for warning other drivers of traffic problems and accidents, making this app only as good as the drivers using it.

Inrix Traffic  (Free)

Inrix Traffic, on the other hand, not only uses information from drivers, but also draws in data “from local transportation departments, first responders, fleet operators, and now owners of built-in telematics systems including Ford Sync and Toyota Entune”. The downside? It does not give directions like the Waze app.

Some GPS systems also collect traffic information which is then passed on to other users of the device. But no matter which tech solution you choose, use your own judgment when whipping these devices out as they do cause a distraction and could lead to a traffic accident.

Read more at FoxNews.com.

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