5 Tips for Surviving Back to School Traffic

What a joy to commute in the summer! Everybody is enjoying their well-deserved vacation, and everyday commuters can enjoy quiet roads. But that peaceful time of the year is almost over now; the kids are preparing their school bags, and the drivers have to prepare for the back to school traffic.

Whether you are about to get back to the school morning routine with your kids or you are just back to the office after a vacation, it is important to keep in mind the situation is about to change so better be prepared for it. The first weeks of the new school year are usually the most hectic because people are not yet used to the fact that the relaxed summer time is over. Everybody is trying to get back to normal or adjust to new routines, so it is important to be very cautious when driving. We have come up with a couple of tips that will help you ease into the back to school madness on the roads.

1. Plan ahead. If you are about to start a new route to school and work, why don’t you test it over the weekend? This way you will know where you are going and how long it will approximately take. Parents often do not have enough time to drop their kids off and then get to the office, so they feel rushed and stressed. This can be avoided by trying out the route beforehand and allowing some extra time for delays on the road. It’s always better to be a little early, rather than a little too late.

2. Timing is everything. Roads with less traffic in the summer may face congestion, so allow extra time to get to your destination. You don’t want your kids to be late for the first day of school. Or any day of school for that matter. And you don’t want to be late for work or miss that important appointment.

3. Avoid traffic. The roads are usually the busiest just before and shortly after the school starts. If you are flexible with your time, consider leaving home very early or later than you are used to, so you can avoid the busiest time on the road. But the best way to escape traffic is to drive with a reliable traffic information service. Sygic offers amazingly accurate Traffic information, so you will always know where the traffic is, how long it will take to get through it and how to avoid it with a faster route.

4. Be alert. Back to school means sharing the streets with young pedestrians. Children are often unpredictable, so pay extra attention when driving in the school areas, near playgrounds & parks, and in residential areas. Don’t forget to watch out for pedestrians when parking as well.

5. Carpooling is great to reduce the number of cars in school areas. Find out which school mates of your children live nearby and try to make arrangements with their parents to share the drive. You will save time, money and the children will have some fun on the way to school. And when you drop the kids off, try to stop in front of the school, so they don’t have to cross the street.

A little goes a long way so be careful when driving and getting back to normal after the summer should be a breeze.