Why do traffic jams happen?
Most of us have experienced traffic that seems to slow to a crawl or even a standstill for no apparent reason. There are scientists who specialize in studying the dynamics of traffic flow in hopes of finding ways to keep them from happening. A traffic jam occurs when cars go abruptly from highway speeds to a near standstill — even where there is nothing blocking the road. Traffic becomes prone to jams when there is a very high density of cars on the road, like during a typical commuter “rush hour.” When that happens, even a slight fluctuation can interrupt the smooth flow of traffic and cause a bottleneck, or jam. Cars exiting or entering a crowded freeway ramp can just as easily cause a jam as a wreck or road construction. Even after a bottleneck is removed, it takes some time for traffic jams to clear up. This is because the cars are still locked in a standstill; only the cars in front have anyplace they can move. Even when the car in front of you moves forward, you can’t begin movi
