Some things in life cannot be avoided. For example, if you want to get a car - get ready to stand in traffic jams.

The analytical agency INRIX, having analyzed more than 200 cities in 38 states, compiled a list cities of the world with the longest traffic jams of 2019. They are real time killers - in them you will lose more hours than save.

10 cities with the longest traffic jams

10. Moscow, Russia

Hours Lost: 210

The Mother See is not a leader among the cities with the longest traffic jams in Russia, but strives to become one in every way. Moscow was founded in the XII century, when they had never heard of cars, and developed along the path traditional for ancient cities - with a radial layout, narrow streets and complicated traffic.

The traffic jams are also affected by weather conditions. The longest Moscow traffic jam was recorded in 2012. Winter, as usual, came quite unexpectedly for both utilities and road services. A long winter snowfall began, as a result of the highway connecting the capital of Russia with St. Petersburg, completely stood up. And stood for three days in a row.

The situation was so difficult that the Moscow administration set up tents on the side of the highway, where it provided drivers with food, drink and psychological help.

9. Mexico City, Mexico

Hours Lost: 218

Mexico City is the largest city in North America; its population exceeds 21 million people. As a result, only the most patient person can travel around the city by car during peak hours. So, if you suddenly find yourself in Mexico City, we recommend that you avoid the historic city center and the business district of Santa Fe at the beginning and end of the working day.

Most of the streets in the historic center of Mexico City are narrow, not designed for traffic, since their width has remained unchanged since the 16th century. The city administration hopes to reduce the number of cars in the city center by reducing the number of parking lots.

8. Bordeaux, France

Hours Lost: 223

The busiest motorway of the small city of Bordeaux is the A10 motorway connecting the city with Paris. Regularly on weekends, Parisians fill it, dreaming of breaking out on the coast. And if an accident happened or fog fell on the highway, one of the biggest traffic jams in the world is “born”. On worst days, drivers can spend more than five hours in it.

The city government is trying to optimize traffic, and is very successful. After the introduction of traffic restrictions, the number of accidents decreased by 80%.

7. Milan, Italy

Lost hours: 226

Traveling in Milan is not a pleasant experience for a motorist. Few traffic jams are often found on the streets, so cars that drive into the city require an additional charge for environmental pollution. In 2008, Milan earned the title of the “dirtiest” city in Europe, and although laurels have since passed to the Macedonian Tetovo, Milan’s environmental condition is still poor.

Milan's layout is confusing, the streets are narrow, often with one-way traffic. As a result, cars move at a snail's speed, and the local population masters motorcycles and scooters. In addition, Italian employees love to go on strike, which also affects the frequency of traffic jams.

6. London, Great Britain

Hours Lost: 227

Even the famous double-decker buses do not save Londoners from standing in traffic jams. The growth in construction activity, as well as the increase in sales on the Internet, are to blame. Because of them, the roads of London were flooded with vans and goods delivery cars.

Despite the initiatives taken by the government (for example, the construction of bicycle paths and footpaths), as well as a number of measures to improve public transport, traffic jams were reduced by only 7.7%. Thrifty Englishmen even figured out how much the country slippage costs. It turned out that every year the UK loses 1,650 pounds per driver. And if you count on a national scale, then losses can exceed millions of pounds.

5. Rostov-on-Don, Russia

Hours lost: 237

Russia twice hit the top 10 cities with the longest traffic jams. In addition to the capital, Rostov-on-Don also distinguished itself.

This city is a major transport hub in the south of Russia, several key highways pass through it. And most of the Rostov streets are narrow, and new cars appear much more often than new streets are designed or old ones are re-paved.

In addition to narrow streets, the reason for the huge number of traffic jams in Rostov is also a small number of specially organized parking spaces. Cars parked at the side of the road further reduce the “working” part of the road.

4. Paris, France

Hours lost: 237

Often the reason for the huge traffic jams is the archaic layout of the city. And Paris is no exception, this ancient city is not designed for flows of automobile and freight transport.

Millions of tourists are also adding lengths to traffic jams, each year filling the French capital, as well as climatic conditions. The weather in France is often unpredictable. Old-timers of the city of love still remember the gigantic traffic jam of 1980, when many people returned after the Christmas weekend to the city and fell into dense fog. As a result, a traffic jam formed on the Lyon-Paris highway, stretching for 175.4 kilometers.

3. Dublin, Ireland

Hours Lost: 246

The third place in the list of places with the biggest traffic jams is occupied by the capital of Ireland. This city even won the offensive title of the slowest in Europe. At peak times, cars move around the city at a speed of 9.6 km / h, which is approximately equal to the speed of a person jogging lightly.

The Dublin administration is trying to somehow relieve traffic, and last summer added a third line in both directions to the busiest street in the city (Dougherty Road). Every day, 32 thousand cars rush along this road.

2. Rome

Hours Lost: 254

It is believed that the age of cities (and accordingly its layout) is one of the main causes of traffic jams. Most cities with the longest traffic jams in the world have a rich, centuries-old history and radial layout - Moscow, Mexico City, Milan, London, Paris.

But the champion here is Rome, because most of its roads were laid by the ancient Romans. They began at Capitol Hill and fan-shaped around, like wheel spokes. Perhaps in the era of horses and carts this was the optimal solution, but now other times have come. The width of the streets, the rules for driving along them, as well as the millions of tourists arriving in the Eternal City every day complicates the situation of motorists.

1. Bogotá, Colombia

Lost hours: 272

The title of "city of lost time" in 2019 is awarded to the capital of Colombia. According to INRIX experts, drivers in Bogota spend about 272 hours in traffic jams every year.

There are many reasons, and we will list the main ones:

1. Urbanization in Latin America took place in a short time and rather randomly, so city planning is chaotic at best, and at worst a cartographer’s nightmare.

2. Due to the low economic level in Colombia, many people live below the poverty line; they flock to cities where they settle in slums. Most buildings in such areas are illegal and stand where the owner wishes. Even if it interferes with the passage of transport.

3. The peculiar relief of the area where Bogotá is located, as well as the unstable economic situation of the city and the country as a whole, contribute to this. The authorities have neither money to optimize traffic, nor to create a public transport network.

4. Power outages are frequent in the city, traffic lights stop working, which, coupled with an extremely careless approach to traffic rules, creates chaos on the roads.

The longest fixed traffic jams in the world

5. New York, USA

One of the largest officially recorded traffic jams in the world occurred in 1969 in America. About 500 thousand people (instead of the expected 50 thousand) hurried to the Woodstock rock festival and lined up in a 32-kilometer traffic jam. The performers had to be transported to the festival and back by helicopters.

4. Texas, USA

Another of the longest traffic jams in history occurred in Texas in 2005. It was announced that the greatest hurricane Rita was approaching, and the residents left their homes in a hurry. Most Texans went along the 45 highway, which is why a 160-kilometer traffic jam formed on it. It lasted almost 48 hours.

3. Paris, France

The traffic jam, stretching 175 kilometers in February 1980 on the Lyon-Paris highway, was caused by bad weather conditions. The Parisians, returning home after the winter holidays, were captured by dense fog. It is unlikely that they were comforted by the fact that this jam got into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest in the 20th century.

2. Sao Paulo, Brazil

The world record entitled "The longest traffic jam in the world" so far belongs to the Brazilian metropolis. It is known for its mega traffic jams, but the largest of them arose in November 2013, before the holiday weekend in honor of the Republic Day. She stretched for 309 kilometers.

1. Beijing, China

The longest traffic jam in terms of man-hours occurred on the Beijing-Tibet highway in August 2010. Imagine that you were trapped in a traffic jam 260 kilometers long, which did not "resolve" for 12 days.

This monstrous traffic jam was not caused by an accident or natural disaster, the reason for its formation was too many vehicles that clogged all the lanes. Heavy trucks transporting building materials to Beijing were particularly successful. Ironically, these materials were intended for road works, which were supposed to help alleviate traffic jams.

Why are traffic jams dangerous?

Drivers stuck in a continuous stream among the same unfortunate, experience not the most pleasant emotions. Some studies have shown that continuous plugs can cause stress disorders in humans.

In addition, many drivers, having finally broken free, begin to rush, tend to underestimate the danger and drive more risky than usual. And this is fraught with accidents. Therefore, the next time you get stuck in traffic, we recommend turning on pleasant soothing music, drinking water, and just in case, assign an emergency psychological telephone number to the quick call button.

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