Road traffic survey yields interesting results in SA

Traffic: the word that spawns feelings of hatred in any commuter, and as part of everyday life may even leave you feeling helpless and demotivated, according to TomTom.

Research commissioned by TomTom through Acentric Marketing Research Consulting included 962 respondents over the age of 18, all of whom currently live in South Africa. TomTom said that the results were accumulated over the months of November 2010 to January 2011.

Businesses Lose Billions of Rands due to Traffic

The 2011 TomTom Traffic Survey states that 78% of the 3.8 million drivers on Johannesburg roads are stuck in a severe traffic jam on a daily basis, and it is these prolonged periods spent in traffic that cause drivers to become tired and demotivated:

1. 342 000 are forced to cancel meetings due to traffic (10% of commuters).
2. More than 40% of employees are late for work due to traffic jams.
3. 75% of this group experience high levels of stress during time spent in traffic.
4. Nationally, one quarter of drivers spend 45 minutes or more time in traffic.
5. In Gauteng, one third of drivers spend 45 minutes or more time in traffic.

Traffic congestion does not only affect an employee’s mental state, but employers lose R291.00 per employee, per month, due to time wasted in traffic on a daily basis. This accumulates to a staggering figure of over R1 billion per month, TomTom said.

Feelings of Hatred in Pulse-Racing Traffic

The 2011 TomTom Traffic Survey shows that commuters exposed to traffic on a daily basis have a 64% increase in general stress levels and are mostly between 15 and 30 minutes late for work. For many drivers, traffic congestion has become inevitable – something they just can’t influence:

1. 28% of overall respondents state that the emotion that resonates most with them when stuck in traffic congestion is ‘hatred’.
2. 14% say ‘irritation / frustration’.
3. 13% say that ‘tension/stress’ is the strongest emotion experienced.

Children are stranded due to traffic

More than 435 000 children are stranded every day when commuters are late to collect their children due to an unforeseen traffic jam, TomTom said.

According to TomTom, stress experienced due to being late amounts to more than being witness to a fatal accident.

Concerns arise that increasing congestion affects the environment

When respondents were asked what they thought the environmental impact would be if traffic was reduced by 15%, they reacted by stating the following:

1. 96% of drivers thought this would have a positive effect and reduce air pollution.
2. 81% thought this would have a positive effect on noise pollution.
3. 74% of drivers thought traffic reduction would have a positive effect on rising global warming rate.

This survey shows that South Africa is no exception in the world traffic problems, with more than 2.2 million people caught up in congestion daily, TomTom said.

TomTom also revealed the results of research conducted by ICM, who interviewed a random sample of 10,017 adults aged 18 to 64 who currently drive. Interviews were conducted online in 11 countries between 29 March to 11 April 2011, with 1000 interviews in all countries, except Denmark and Sweden, in which were 500 interviews each.

Which country has the most  daily drivers?

1. South Africa
2. Italy
3. USA
4. Australia
5. Germany
6. France
7. Great Britain
8. Denmark
9. Spain
10. Netherlands

Where are people most frustrated with traffic?

1. South Africa
2. Australia
3. USA
4. Great Britain
5. France
6. Sweden
7. Denmark
8. Germany
9. Netherlands
10. Italy

Where are people more likely to most hotheads in traffic?

1. Great Britain
2. France
3. USA
4. Denmark
5. Netherlands
6. Italy
7. Australia
8. Spain
9. South Africa
10. Germany

Where are people more likely to eat and drink in the car?

1. Netherlands
2. Germany
3. Great Britain
4. Australia
5. USA
6. South Africa
7. Denmark
8. Spain
9. France
10. Italy

Where are people in traffic more than half an hour every day?

1. Spain
2. Netherlands
3. USA
4. Denmark
5. Great Britain
6. South Africa
7. Italy
8. Sweden
9. France
10. Australia

Where do drivers hate not knowing when they’ll arrive the most?

1. Germany
2. Sweden
3. Spain
4. Great Britain
5. Denmark
6. Netherlands
7. France
8. USA
9. Australia
10. South Africa

Where do drivers change their departure time to avoid traffic the most?

1. South Africa
2. Italy
3. France
4. Australia
5. Spain
6. USA
7. Netherlands
8. Sweden
9. Great Britain
10. Denmark

Where are you more likely to see people singing at the wheel?

1. Italy
2. South Africa
3. France
4. Great Britain
5. Netherlands
6. Sweden
7. Germany
8. Spain
9. Denmark
10. Australia