The largest traffic jams in history

The largest recorded traffic jam occurred in the capital of China, Beijing. It stretched for 100 kilometers and lasted for 12 whole days.

A traffic jam or congestion occurs when normal traffic slows down as a result of congestion. Trapped in a traffic jam, drivers experience a decrease in travel speed and an increase in the length of the road time. Often they have to stand still for a long time.

Traffic jams are associated with problems such as wasted time, delays, increased gas mileage, and vehicle wear and tear. They are also a major contributor to aggressive driving behavior on the road. Vulgar gestures, shouts, threats often turn into fights and can lead to injury or even death. Below is a list of the largest traffic jams in history.

1. Beijing, China - August 2010

Drivers driving along the Beijing-Tibet highway became prisoners of traffic jams, as a result of which their road trip lasted three days. This incident was caused by an excess of vehicles on the road, as well as the slow movement of heavy trucks carrying materials for road works. The jam lasted 12 days.

2. Bethel, New York, USA - August 1969

The famous Woodstock Music & Art Fair, held in 1969, caused a 3-day traffic jam in the small town of Bethel in the United States. More than 500,000 people arrived at the music festival, resulting in over 32 km of traffic jams.

Many drivers have chosen to park their cars at the curb and walk instead of fighting the traffic.

3. Chicago, Illinois, USA - February 2011

On February 1, 2011, this city experienced a historic snowstorm. More than 50 centimeters of snow fell during the evening rush hour, resulting in several serious accidents. the cars, practically hiding under the snow, stood in a traffic jam for more than 12 hours.

4. Border of West and East Germany - April 1990

The traffic jam was formed on April 12, 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall. People who were previously forced to live on one side of the wall finally got the opportunity to travel with ease, or so they thought.

During Easter, this “simplicity” was crushed by 18 million cars, when the usual daily traffic on this highway was about 500,000 cars.

5.I-45 (Interstate), Texas, USA - September 2005

On September 21, 2005, residents of Galveston, Texas, were evacuated on an emergency basis due to the impending Hurricane Rita. The road connecting Galveston and Dallas filled with an estimated 2.5 million evacuees, creating a 160-kilometer congestion. The traffic jam lasted for two days, but the evacuation saved millions of lives.

6. Lyon-Paris, France - February 1980

Parisians have long enjoyed spending their winter holidays in Lyon enjoying wine and skiing. In February 1980, on the way to Paris, streams of rested people were caught off guard by a dense fog, as a result of which they formed a huge traffic jam. The congestion stretched for 175 kilometers.

7.Moscow, Russia - November 2012

The M-10 highway, linking Moscow and St. Petersburg, kept travelers trapped for three whole days, starting on November 30, 2012. Another story about inclement weather. However, the hostages of this traffic jam were assisted by the state authorities.

For the drivers stuck in the traffic jam, their friends and families, EMERCOM employees set up tents, as well as provided food, drink and counseling from psychologists.

8. New York, New York, USA - September 2001

This traffic jam was caused by a citywide panic caused by a series of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Officials practically closed off all of New York, tunnels and bridges were closed to civil and public transport to clear paths for emergency vehicles.

People wanting to leave the city were trapped. Thousands of tourists were stuck at airports as air travel was also banned.

9.So Paulo, Brazil - June 2009

Brazil is infamous for its traffic jams and 4-hour road idle times. Uber even launched a helicopter taxi service in the city from the airport to the city center to counter the terrible traffic on the roads.

On June 10, 2009, a record-long traffic jam was formed, 840 kilometers of city roads were congested, and more than 293 kilometers were completely blocked. This is the result of too many vehicles per capita.

10. Tokyo, Japan - August 1990

On August 12, 1990, the highway between the Japanese prefectures of Hyogo and Shiga turned into a giant traffic jam. More than 135 kilometers of roads were filled with tourists returning home, as well as residents of the city, evacuated in connection with the appearance of a severe hurricane.