Shockwave traffic jam recreated by Japanese researchers
For the first time ever, researchers in Japan have recreated a “shockwave” traffic jam on a circular test track. [via]
Using 22 cars, each with a human driver driving at 30 km/h, researchers were able to see that traffic jams such as this were generally caused by one driver slowing or stopping out of curiosity to better see something else on/near the road. The chain reaction travels from car to car until traffic grinds to a halt.
From New Scientist:
The mathematical theory behind these so-called “shockwave” jams was developed more than 15 years ago using models that show jams appear from nowhere on roads carrying their maximum capacity of free-flowing traffic – typically triggered by a single driver slowing down.
After that first vehicle brakes, the driver behind must also slow, and a shockwave jam of bunching cars appears, traveling backwards through the traffic.
I’ve always known that rubber-necking was caused by people being nosy and curious. An accident can be clear of any part of the actual roadway, but as long as its in viewing distance of cars, traffic around it will almost always slow to a crawl. It only takes one driver to ruin it for the rest of us (ok, I’ll admit, I am talking about myself here).
THOSE SMART JAPANESE!
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