. The Dutch GPS company calculates a congestion rate of 28%, which means that a 30-minute journey will take eight minutes longer. On average. At peak times, the congestion rate can be as high as 56%. This is the case, for example, on Tuesdays at 5pm or on Fridays at 4pm. So when is the best time to avoid driving? Here are the details of the congestion rates for the year 2021.

The congestion rate has increased compared to 2020, but is decreasing compared to 2019, when it was 36%, probably due to continuing health measures such as teleworking.

Peak hour congestion has also decreased by 20 percentage points in the morning compared to 2019 to a congestion level of 50%. And by 19 percentage points in the evening, to a rate of 53%.

In 2021, motorists driving in traffic lost an average of 15 minutes per 30-minute trip. And 118 hours in the year, or almost five days. The worst day was 14 July, at 60%. The average time to avoid was Tuesday between 5 and 6 pm.

According to TomTom, in the 404 cities analysed, peak hours shifted in 40% of cases due to remote meetings and more flexible working hours. If this trend continues, perhaps the picture of congestion levels in 2022 will be more balanced.

This article was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.