Traffic gets worse as summer rolls on, study shows

August 1, 2013 12:00 AM

Drivers who have road trips or long commutes planned may want to make sure their car air conditioning service is up to snuff this summer. According to recent data collected by the INRIX Gridlock Index, traffic congestion is on the rise. Congestion increased 8 percent in June 2013 compared to the same month last year, causing drivers in major American metros to see a 7 percent increase in their commutes. 

Still, some may consider the influx of traffic to be good news, as it is partially due to improved employment rates and economic health. 

"Last year at this time we saw a 19 percent year-over-year decrease in traffic congestion levels," said Bryan Mistele, CEO of INRIX. "Yet we turned a corner in December. Aside from a slight pullback in March, we've seen higher levels of consumer spending and employment lead to dramatically higher levels of gridlock on our roads nationwide." 

Getting that car air conditioning repair you've been putting off can help ensure that you are comfortable, even when stuck in traffic. If you find yourself at a standstill in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you'll be glad you can at least make the interior of your ride as comfortable as possible, even when outside temperatures soar. 

Back to news
Close