Psychological effects of traffic congestion

Summary

§?Our love affair with the automobile and the growth of the imported used car in the Caribbean has made our motoring lives horrendous

§?Living near traffic congestion has impacted families negatively

§?Research in LA shows that traffic jams can increase domestic violence

§?Females carry more of the burden as they are often both breadwinners and caregivers

§?Online work can reduce the time on the overcrowded roads

§?Listen to calming music?

It is part of daily life worldwide and is widely accepted as a complex problem. But it is more like a wicked problem—difficult to solve, requires complex and expensive solutions, and is very disruptive. When solutions are applied to wicked problems (like poverty and crime), the problem can get bigger. Entrepreneurs and other members of the travelling public waste time and energy stuck in traffic jams. What are the psychological effects and possible solutions?

Causes of congestion Our love affair with the automobile is over 100 years old. Since entrepreneur Henry Ford made cars cheaper for the masses, they evolved from a toy for the rich. Vehicles not only solve logistical problems; they move people and cargo quickly and efficiently, but they can help us attain some psychological goals. How do you inform people on the streets and your colleagues in the car parks that you have made it? But status symbols, poor perception of public transport and inadequate infrastructure design and management can wreak our love affair with cars.

One of the main drivers of car ownership happened in the 1990s with the arrival of used foreign automobiles in the Caribbean. Japan's policy of increasing demand for domestically produced vehicles was to make them expensive to own after six years. The used car importer found an easy source of inexpensive and good-quality cars.

The influx of used foreign cars seems to have caught the planners by surprise, but politicians appeared to like the popularity of the measure and its accompanying tax revenues. Rae Furlonge, a transportation and traffic expert with over 36 years of experience, thinks a lack of a scientific approach to planning has made the problem worse over the years.

"Traffic congestion is only relieved when the numbers of vehicles in the traffic stream are reduced drastically; not diverted to another road or lane! I postulate that in the Trinidad situation, 30 to 40 percent have to be removed from our roadways, at least during peak hours." says the expert.

Effects of congestions A study in the Social Science and Medicine Journal (2004) showed that persons living in areas with high vehicular burden had the lowest health status and depressive symptoms.

Traffic stress can influence the well-being of urban populations; the unpredictability of traffic and a feeling of helplessness occur when we feel we have lost control.

When the mind loses control, it can lead to many mental health issues over an extended period. And entrepreneurs need the right mindset to create value.

Another study of urban traffic jams in Sanandaj, Iran, in the Journal of Transport & Health (2019) showed traffic triggered stress and anxiety, reduced people's tolerance thresholds, triggered family disputes, and increased annoyance and boredom. It also raised family issues, such as dissatisfaction among members and a lack of family cohesion.

Analysis of Los Angeles traffic published in the Journal of Public Economics (2018) demonstrates a link between traffic and domestic violence. Researchers found extreme evening traffic — that which has the potential to double regular commute times —increased the incidence of domestic violence at night by 6%. Domestic violence can be sensitive to emotional cues.

There is an unequal burden on females, and research in the Journal of Health Economics (2011) found that commuting has a significant adverse effect on the psychological health of women—a higher burden due to the dual role of breadwinner and caregiver. After a long day at work and an extensive commute, the expectation of meal preparation and children's homework can be overbearing.

Road hogs are the multiplier effect. Ryan Martin, a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay psychology professor, raised the 'power of anonymity'. This belief makes us feel we can get away with it, and people think that they can adopt a different persona when in a vehicle; it's 'like playing mass on the road'. When frustrated and mad in traffic, it disrupts our decision-making. Martin says, "all those bad decisions can lead to accidental injury, harm or death."

Dr Valentine Smith writes in the T&T Guardian (22 Sept. 2022), 'Aggressive driving, road rage over the years in T & T', that this hostility cuts across all socio-economic groups. His observations include: the most common weapon used is the vehicle itself, sometimes bottles and jack handles. The leading cause of rage is frustration; work stress enters the highways with you even before you enter your car. Like professor Martin, emotional arousal has a significant impact on your behaviour. Smith says, "that separates the angry driver from his/her usually cognitive control and appropriate nice-guy behaviour."

Solutions for congestion Traffic congestion for an entrepreneur is not a fixed or unsolvable obstacle to your productivity. Remember the saying in the early days of the internet: ?people don't need to move; information needs to move. This means virtual solutions can work. Post-pandemic clients are more accepting of online communications. You can even price your offering with a two-tier structure, higher for face-to-face than virtual and let the customer choose.

Emanuel Robinson, a psychologist at the Center of Human Performance and Safety, thinks we have more control than we think. "When angry, you often have a difficult time looking at a situation from a different perspective," Robinson told CNN (Jul. 2022). "In those moments, start by taking a deep breath and not responding immediately." He says we look at other people's behaviours as flaws, but when we do the same thing, we see it as a mistake. Listening to calming music or an entertaining podcast can help as you are now focused on it.

The traffic situation is probably going to be with us for many years to come. In that case, your business is likely to be negatively impacted, but with a different perspective plus some psychological strategies, you can beat the jams.?

This is a condensed version of my article that appeared in my column, Entreprenomics, in the T&T Business Guardian Money Magazine.

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