Traffic congestion in Lagos- How to Survive

Lagos is a big city with an estimated population of 21 million, it is little to no wonder why traffic congestion is the biggest issue in Lagos amongst many other issues.

Traffic congestion in Lagos is a tale that has been told countless times and will continue to be told. Journeying in Lagos can be very unpredictable, let me give you a case scenario:

You are to resume your job at 8am so you wake up by 5 am, prepare for an hour and get on the road for 6 am. There is a seventy percent chance that you won't get your destination bus on time. Let's say you had to stand at the bus stop for an hour tops, finally, you get a bus to your destination then the traffic congestion shows its beastly face. You end up spending two hours on the road for a 30-45 minutes journey. You will get to work late, stressed, tired and frustrated and even losing mental productivity.

Causes of Traffic Congestion in Lagos

With the way traffic congestion in Lagos is really at its peak, what can be the reasons for the happenings? There are many reasons for the traffic congestion in Lagos, the main reasons are:

1. Bad roads

Lagos State, like many other places are filled with roads in deplorable states and these roads are really bad especially during the rainy season. The potholes get filled up with water which in turn causes traffic to build up as drivers either get stuck in the potholes and try really hard to navigate through them.

2. Reckless drivers

We know about these yellow bus drivers called danfo drivers and their unruly road behaviors. They are known for driving recklessly and disobeying traffic laws. They also have the habit of picking up passengers at undesignated bus-stops without warning. These yellow buses stop on main roads and cause traffic congestion.

3. Too many cars

It is estimated that 50% of cars driven in Nigeria are registered in Lagos. Lagos is a very populated city and it is also becoming overrun by too many cars. This can cause traffic congestion, seeing that there are not many good roads.

4. Accidents

In Lagos, accidents occur every other day due to reckless motorists, bad roads and other issues. These accidents cause traffic congestion, although the accidents are not the entire cause, the inability to clear the road and accident scene afterward is the main cause. They leave the accident scene the way it is and it takes days for it to be cleared up.

It is known that the worst days for traffic congestion are Monday mornings- when everybody is rushing to resume their respective jobs- and Friday evenings- when people are going home or even looking to leave Lagos for the weekend.

If you have an interest in touring Nigeria, here are the top cities to visit in Nigeria.

How to survive the traffic congestion in Lagos

Note that this guide is not on how to avoid traffic congestion in Lagos because if we would be honest, it is totally unavoidable. No matter where you are in Lagos, you are bound to be stuck in traffic. Rather than become frustrated at something you can't change, here are ways you can relax and enjoy (if you can) the traffic:

1. Listen to traffic radio programmes

One way to relax and even monitor traffic congestion is by listening to certain radio stations dedicated to traffic reports. Not only can you relax but you will also get information on the routes to take and the ones to avoid.

2. Listen to music

This is another way to survive traffic congestion. Listen to your favorites tunes and relax. If you are driving, make sure you do not use a headset or earpiece in order to avoid distractions. If you are a passenger, make sure you use a headset so you do not disturb the other passengers.

3. Watch social media skits

Watching funny social media skits will keep you laughing and keep your mind off the traffic congestion. It also relieves stress. You can watch these skits on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

4. Read a book

If you are a book reader, you can read to take your mind off traffic congestion. You don't have to carry a hard copy as the internet has made it easy for us to download soft copies in PDF formats. Download, read and make the best out of the time you'll spend in traffic.

5. Complete a mobile task

You can complete a mobile task from the comfort of your phone, use the time you spend in traffic to finish the task. However, this can only work when you are not the one driving because it is not advisable to use your mobile phone while driving.

These are a few ways to survive the traffic congestion in Lagos. This issue would not be fixed anytime soon but we can make the best of the situation to our own advantage.

Did you enjoy this read? Here is a guide on how to travel from Lagos to Ibadan.

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