If you are unfortunately stuck in traffic when returning to the city, what should you do?

Traffic jams that force cars to inch forward for hours are a nightmare for many people using personal vehicles. Surely, when returning to the city after a long holiday, no one wants to see the "horrifying" traffic jams like those at some gateways to Hanoi on the evening of April 28 and 29.

However, if you are unlucky enough to become a "victim" of traffic jams, always keep yourself as comfortable as possible behind the wheel because impatience, frustration or lack of concentration can harm you and not help the traffic jams.

Traffic jam for hours at the southern gateway of Hanoi on the evening of April 28. Photo: Dinh Hieu

Here are some tips for drivers who are unlucky enough to encounter traffic jams when returning to the city after the holidays:

1. Drive in the correct lane and part of the road.

A bad habit that many drivers have when the road is crowded is “filling the gap”. Whenever they see a gap in the lane next to them, they change lanes, cutting in front of the car behind them to “get” up.

Traffic jams are something no one wants, but if you change lanes or cut in front of other cars out of haste, it will only make the congestion worse. At the same time, this can easily lead to unnecessary collisions.

The advice from experienced drivers is to stay calm, try to stay in the correct lane and only change lanes when absolutely necessary, to avoid causing frustration to other road users around. Only by moving in an orderly manner can the traffic on the road become less "hot".

2. Do not move into the emergency lane

In reality, when the road is crowded, it is not uncommon to see many cars driving into the emergency lane or into the motorbike lane, and then swerving out in a very uncivilized manner.

Entering the emergency lane not only violates the Road Traffic Law and can result in heavy fines, but also risks colliding with other vehicles that have encountered problems and are parked there.

3. Keep a safe distance, do not brake suddenly

When there is a traffic jam, the distance between cars is often significantly reduced. While moving, the car in front can brake suddenly at any time and if you are not careful, you can easily crash into it. At that time, the fault lies entirely with you for not keeping a safe distance, and at the same time, your car will be more or less damaged.

Along with keeping a safe distance, you should also minimize sudden braking as it increases the risk of being hit by the car behind. And of course, if the collision is serious, it will take a long time to deal with the consequences, not only that, but it will also make the road behind more congested.

Absolutely comply with the traffic police's regulations when returning to the city. Photo: Hoang Hiep

4. Comply with traffic police regulations

On peak days such as holidays and Tet, traffic police will regulate and divert traffic from a distance at the city's gateways to prevent congestion.

And when you receive advice, regulation and traffic flow from the traffic police, you should absolutely comply because that will make your journey smoother.

5. Continuously check the engine temperature

Normally, the temperature needle on the car's dashboard is always in a safe position, between C (Cold) and H (Hot). However, if you have to "crawl" on the road for a long time, plus the coolant leaks, this temperature needle is at risk of gradually increasing to H, at which time the driver needs to handle it properly, otherwise the car may seize very dangerously.

When driving in traffic jams, you need to constantly pay attention to the vehicle's engine temperature gauge.

As soon as you notice the temperature gauge rising abnormally, pull over to the side of the road to stop safely, turn on the hazard lights, turn off the engine, open the hood to let the engine cool down. After about 10-20 minutes depending on the condition of the car, you can add more coolant or filtered water and continue driving.

In addition to the above notes, ensuring the technical condition of the vehicle before departure is always something that drivers need to pay attention to.

Experts advise that before leaving, take some time to carefully check the details of the car such as coolant, tires, brakes, lighting system, fuel level, etc. to ensure that your "baby" is in the best condition.

If possible, adjust your departure time accordingly, avoiding "rush hour". At the same time, consult applications such as Google Maps to choose a reasonable route.

Wish you a safe and smooth drive!