Someday soon we’ll all be riding in self-driving cars that whisk us around town via the most efficient route while we lounge (or work) inside.
In the meantime, however, the process of getting from one place to another still largely involves sitting behind a steering wheel trying to stay calm while battling traffic.
Slideshow: The 10 Worst Cities in America for Traffic
How often people have to deal with traffic varies greatly, depending on which part of the country they live in. Cities on the West Coast have the worst traffic, according to the newly released TomTom Traffic Index 2016.
The study found that Los Angeles has the worst traffic in the U.S., followed by San Francisco and New York. Traffic in all three cities got worse in 2015 compared to 2014. Seattle and San Jose round out the list of top five worst traffic cities.
Not surprisingly, traffic is markedly worse during rush hour. A typical commute in Los Angeles takes 81 percent longer during evening peak periods, and 60 percent longer during the morning peak, the report found.
The overall level of traffic in the U.S. remained relatively stable in 2015, compared to 2014, despite job growth and bad weather in much of the country. TomTom analysts chalked that up to new traffic management policies and infrastructure investment.
Several cities, including Las Vegas, Denver, Tucson and St. Louis, saw a decline in traffic congestion from the previous year.
Click here to see the 10 worst cities for traffic in America.
