Special Report

Cities With the Absolute Worst Traffic in the World

While Americans may think traffic in the U.S. is bad, only two U.S. cities are among the 25 worst in the world for traffic.

The average American loses 97 hours a year to traffic congestion. But this is not much compared with drivers in some cities in Europe and South America. And, contrary to what most Americans may think, Los Angeles is not among the worst 25.

Yes, LA’s roads are very busy throughout the day, but the city’s peak traffic severity is not as bad as it is in the two U.S. cities that made the list. In those cities, however, low traffic times are much less congested than LA’s frequently busy roadways.

On average, the costs of congestion in the United States amount to about $87 billion a year, or $1,348 per driver.

In densely-populated cities, residents tend to drive at low speeds (because of congestion) and for shorter distances than residents in low-density cities, where people are able to drive faster but travel longer distances. Globally, European cities are among the slowest. A big reason for these low speeds is the typically narrow streets and complex road networks.

To identify the 25 cities with the worst traffic in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from INRIX Research, a global transportation intelligence company. To rank the most congested cities, INRIX’s 2018 Global Traffic Scorecard uses several metrics, including the average number of hours drivers wasted in traffic during times of peak hours, year-over-year change of the previous measure, and the time it took to drive a mile in the inner city. The report examines traffic and mobility trends in more than 200 cities across 38 countries.

Click here to read about cities with the absolute worst traffic in the world.

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