SA’s most congested cities
- Cape Town (ranked 45th in the world)
- Johannesburg (ranked 70th in the world)
- East London
- Pretoria
- Durban
- Bloemfontein
Average time lost in traffic
- Cape Town – 42 minutes per day, 163 hours per year
- Johannesburg – 37 minutes per day, 141 hours per year
- East London – 32 minutes per day, 121 hours per year
Rush hour traffic equals extra travel time
- Cape Town – 35% longer
- Johannesburg – 30% longer
- East London – 29% longer
- Pretoria – 26% longer
- Durban – 22% longer
- Bloemfontein – 18% longer
How to avoid peak traffic
- Don’t travel from 7 – 9 AM and from 4 – 6 PM
- Plan ahead and schedule commitments accordingly
- Find a different route that is less congested
- Check traffic reports before you depart
- Invest in a GPS or App that gives live traffic updates
- Use public transport if
- Consider other modes of transport such as a motorcycle, bicycle or scooter
- Move closer to your place of employment
- Work flexi time or work from home if possible
How to beat the rush hour blues
- Create a playlist of your favourite music
- Listen to an audio book by your favourite author
- Learn a new language using an app on your phone
- Practice relaxation techniques
- Listen to educational or entertaining podcasts on your phone
- Exercise! Do an online search – there are plenty of exercises you can do behind the wheel
Note: Safety first! Remember to keep your focus on the road at all times!
Sources:
TomTom Traffic Index 2017 (https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/trafficindex/)
KPMG South Africa (https://www.sablog.kpmg.co.za/2017/04/economics-rush-hour-traffic/)