The Real Cost of Traffic Jams

Grayson By

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If you live anywhere near a metropolitan city in the U.S., you know how much of a hassle the traffic can be. Whether it's caused from weather emergencies or scheduled maintenance, traffic can really be a pain and cut into your daily commute. While many people experience traffic daily and sacrifice their time on the highway, many of them may not know just how much that traffic time can cut into their paycheck as well.

Today's infographic from Nationwide Insurance explores not just how much we drive as a nation each year, but also how much extra we're paying essentially just to wait in line to get to work. For instance, the average annual amount of money spent on gasoline for each American (just from waiting in traffic) is $713. That's more than the average U.S. citizen makes in a week!

The graphic does offer tips for avoiding that traffic time, too. For instance, weekends and the summer months tend to yield less traffic and should provide an overall cheaper traveling experience. I don't know about the rest of you, but for me that means less time driving and more time having fun during those relaxing summer months.

For more traffic and travel information refer to the infographic below. [Via]

Grayson

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