They also blame constant lane changers and people who slow to stare at crashes

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Get ready to say I told you so. A new traffic study is shedding light on the not so surprising reasons behind gridlock. A Japanese study confirms the cause of many traffic jams is bad drivers.

Researchers asked motorists on a circular track to maintain a steady speed, but found many couldn’t do it. Those sped up then braked repeatedly caused frustrating rubber-banding and unnecessary delays. Even a slight variation in speed can have a big impact, researchers discovered.

The news doesn’t come as a surprise to some local drivers.

Travis says he sees bad braking behaviour all the time. “I think it’s the same here — bad drivers, and too many people, too many drivers.”

Drummond says he leaves his home at 4:30 a.m. just to avoid morning traffic, but when he heads home, it still takes him two hours to get across Oak Street Bridge. He moved from Scotland in the 1960’s and feels Canada’s driving tests are too lenient and lead to bad drivers getting licenses.

“They don’t understand the laws here, the speeds, how to pull on and off of a freeway. They have no idea whatsoever and yet they pass a driving test,” he says. “Getting behind the wheel and steering a car, anyone can do that, but it’s just looking out and seeing what’s happening.”

Researchers also blame excessive lane changers, rubberneckers, people who slow down to gawk at accidents, improper merging when two lanes go down to one and drivers going too slow in the fast lane.

Scientists say you can be part of the solution if you just keep moving.