How Traffic Jams Have Become A Problem In The World Biggest Cities

The hustling and bustling of city life actually made the urban area a very stressful place to live and survive. Statistics have shown that those living in the urban settlement are two to three times more stressed and burned out than those living in rural areas and in normal towns. Some studies even proofed that those in rural areas may have a longer life span then their city folks as long as their environment have the basic amenities that can foster a normal life. With the highly industrialized and high population densities in the urban settlement, living day after day has become a hell in this environment. 

Speaking of living everyday in hell; life in the city is even considered worse when we put into account people’s movements and commute around the city and all that they have to face with the road’s traffic and rush hours. With most drivers and passengers around the world complaining about road traffics, it turns out that some have much more to gripe that the others. 

Below are biggest cities in the world where people are faced with the worse traffic jams and rush hours. 

Topping the chart of cities with the worst traffic is Bangkok. If you’ve ever lived in Bangkok you won't be surprised to see the city is on the list. According to world traffic index, the navigation company TomTom, ranked the city among the world's worst for traffic congestion. Bangkok has one the highest carbon emission in the world with the transport sector being the major contributor. The quality of air in the city has degenerated to levels deemed unsafe according to world pollution agencies.   

In Mexico City, you spend a lot of your day stuck in traffic. The 21 million inhabitants in this city, is being tormented with severe traffic congestions day in day out. With the ongoing mishap, the Mexican authorities have been forced to adopt several rules on how to manage and contain the situation. The rules determines which cars can travel on a given days and which cannot. 

The Lagosians have been forced to live their everyday lives in turmoil. Being one of the African biggest cities in terms of population, infrastructure and economy, this city is a true definition of “living life in distress”. Although many in Nigeria find the city very enticing, based on economic reason, but living in the third most stressful city in the world (Lagos) can take a big toll on your health. The city is unhealthily crowded despite being the smallest state in the country. It has become a normal practice for an average Lagosian to leave home for work by 4am in the morning just to avoid the nerve-wrecking Lagos traffic. 

This city has been projected to become the world's biggest city by 2100, with a population of over 80 million - so the need for a better road facilities and efficient transit system will become more pressing. 

Due to subpar road infrastructure and the sheer amount of cars clogging the streets, Bucharest has become Europe most congested city. It is said that the average Bucharestians, spend about 1hr in traffic each day. Most of this problem is as a result of the city’s poor road amenities and lack of parking spaces for vehicles.   

The average Jakartan spends 10 years of their whole life stuck in traffic according to statistical analysis. Jakarta has once been named the world city with the worst traffic according to a study. According to the study, the average Jarkatan driver, start and stop more than 33,000 times in a year.  Also an estimated 70% of the city’s air pollution has also been shown to come from vehicles alone.  

China's southwestern municipality of Chongqing is the home to more than 3 million registered cars. This city has the worst traffic congestion among the 50 major cities in the whole of China. The average speed of ever vehicle during rush-hour is estimated to be as low as 25 kilometers per hour－a speed almost as slow as riding a bicycle. Citizens in the city spend nearly twice as long getting to their destinations during rush hour than when traffic is fluid.