A congestion-free world would improve our lives in many ways, and not just on the road (illustration by @jy.paint)

What does a congestion-free world look like?

The year 2020 saw everyone’s lives changed somehow by the COVID-19 pandemic. Overnight, across the world, many workers changed from commuting to working from home.

For those able to work from home, you may have noticed how much more free time you have (which is fantastic). But do you know what else has been affected by this dramatic shift?

Well, I already have the answer for you: congestion! I shall explain what this is and then using the TomTom Traffic Index (TTI), we will dive deep into the data and find out what a congestion-free world looks like.

What is congestion?

Have you ever been stuck in queuing traffic, moving well below the intended speed limit for a road, and your journey takes you longer than expected? Well lucky you, as this is what we call traffic congestion.

Since the 1950s, more and more people have access to personal vehicles. This means more cars, motorbikes, and trucks on the road and congestion has continued to rise.

We will now explore the shocking reality surrounding this increase in congestion, with the data to prove it.

It’s all in the data