BERLIN: It's always easier to blame the driver in the car in front of you. But if you fail to keep your driving on consistent and predictable, you too will be contributing a build-up on the motorway.
According to road safety experts, sudden flashes of speed, sudden braking and constant switching between the lanes is the "poison" that kills the smooth flow of traffic.
The Auto Club Europa has appealed to drivers to uphold the most basic of driving rules, such as not holding up traffic on the overtaking lane.
Unnecessarily moving into the outside lane when driving slow halves the capacity of the highway and could contribute to further congestion.
This is even more true if you're driving a more sluggish vehicle - such as a car with a caravan trailer. In this case, you should do your part to avoid the outside lane, especially when leaving a traffic jam.
This is because when you are driving in a traffic jam and things start moving quicker again, it is best to gradually raise your speed so that the pile up of cars behind you can separate
Just keep in mind, however, that speeding does not help to make up for lost time. Strong braking and acceleration manoeuvres can also cause new stagnation in traffic flow - so-called "phantom traffic jams" - creating congestion from nothing.
