Answer: Traffic jams
Clues: “Brake” and “Tapping”
An annual study found traffic cost the average commuter 43 hours of their life last year, or more than a full week’s worth of work. That’s just the extra time you spent on the road thanks to traffic jams and slow-downs.
New York was the most congested city in North America, and second worldwide, at 102 hours last year
The top 10 U.S. cities with the worst traffic are the same as 2023.
1. New York, 102 hours.
2. Chicago, 102 hours.
3. Los Angeles, 88 hours.
4. Boston, 79.
5. Philadelphia, 77. It moved up a spot from sixth.
6. Miami, 74. Down one spot.
7. Houston, 66. Up a spot.
8. Atlanta, 65. Up a spot.
9. D.C., 62. It fell two spots this year.
10. Seattle, 63 hours. That’s one hour more than D.C. But they also factor in things like average driving speed.
Denver ranked 15th, but saw the biggest increase in traffic year-over-year. Traffic delays were up 19% in Denver compared to 2023.