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How does traffic congestion affect people and the environment? - Coggle…
How does traffic congestion affect people and the environment?
Impact of traffic congestion on people
Reduced productivity
traffic congestion reduces productivity because people have to spend more time commuting
wastes time that could be spent on productive work
productivity goes down when the transport system is inefficient
leads to an economic loss for the country as a whole
productivity- the rate at which goods or services are produced
in Singapore, the economic loss from inefficient transport amounts to 9 per cent of the country´s annual income per person, according to a 2014 study Siemens
an efficient transport system can provide a city with up to US$238 billion in economic value annually by 2030, according to the same report
Stress on physical and mental health
mental health- a person´s psychological state as indicated by his or her emotions and behaviour
long travelling times can lead to fatigue
drivers are more prone to losing their concentration or falling asleep, causing accidents and even deaths
physical health-general condition of a person´s body
traffic congestion is a source of exhaust fumes from idling vehicles stuck in traffic
some particles are so small that they penetrate deep into lung tissue causing inflammation
long-term exposure to these fumes has been linked to several health problems, including asthma and lung disease
due to spending more time on the road, rivers may become prone to stress an frustration while stuck in traffic
increases their chance of being involved in accidents and fights with other drivers
Impact of traffic congestion on the environment
Air pollution
cars emit greenhouse gases
these gases cause the earth´s temperature to rise because they trap heat
when vehicles remain stationary in a traffic congestion, or constantly accelerate and brake during stop-start traffic, wasted fuel will increase air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions
smog-combination of smoke and fog, caused by exhaust and particles from cars and factories
can cause difficulty in breathing, asthma, reduced resistance to lung infections, colds and eye irritation
also slows down plant growth, thus harming the environment
according to the United States Environmental Pollution Protection Agency, more than half of the air pollution in the United States of America is primarily caused by cars
Noise pollution
occurs when there is harmful and excessive noise that may disrupt human and animal life
a 2009 United Kingdom Noise Association report identified road traffic as the biggest cause of noise pollution in the United Kingdom, disturbing more than 12 million people
for example, in Kolkata, India, there is noise pollution due to drivers honking their cars very frequently
according to a news report in The Telegraph India in February 2010, drivers in Kolkata would honk at an average of one honk per five seconds
each honk is usually more than 65 decibels, which is over the lawful limit of 55 decibels for residential areas in India
studies have shown that prolonged exposure to harmful noise can trigger heart disease, high blood pressure and mental illness