Chaos on wheels: Which countries have the worst traffic in the world?

The chaos of traffic in the world, particularly in large cities, manifests in high congestion rates, delays, accidents, and environmental problems. These situations are caused by several factors, including the increase in transportation demand, the lack of urban planning, the insufficiency of public transport, the non-compliance with traffic regulations and the lack of law enforcement. According to the Global Traffic Scorecard 2024 (Global Traffic Report), the 5 places in the world with the worst traffic are: Istanbul, New York, Chicago, London and Mexico. In Istanbul, the main causes of chaos are Turkish drivers who can be aggressive and unpredictable, the high population density, narrow streets that are not designed to handle the current flow of vehicles, and the lack of road infrastructure including bridges and highways, which has not been able to keep pace with the city's growth. 

Whether in private transport or public. The average indicates that in Istanbul, a person spends 105 hours in traffic a year —more than four days—.

Urban centers like Istanbul and London face special challenges linked to rapid economic growth and population density. This year, for example, congestion on London's roads increased by only 2%; in Istanbul, this increase was 15%, highlighting the great pressure created in the world's rapidly expanding cities," said Bob Pishue, author of the 'Global Traffic Scorecard' report.

In this ranking, it is clear that the country that has a major problem with this is United States. Of the fifteen worst, seven are American cities.

The chaos of traffic has an economic cost. According to these statistics, the 101 hours lost in traffic jams in New York City cost more than $1,700 on average due to loss of time and productivity. The U.S. average is $733 in lost time, which in 2023 amounted to $70 billion, according to INRIX. This is a 15% increase compared to 2022, and the country's average is that each citizen loses 42 hours annually in traffic jams in the country. In the Big Apple, these traffic jams cost its citizens $9 billion in lost time, more than in entire countries. "If you drive in New York, it's brutal, there's no doubt about it. The city knows it has a congested center and the congestion price reflects that it's at least trying something to mitigate much of the traffic there," says Pishue. In Mexico City, with a vehicle fleet that, until a year ago, exceeded 6.4 million automobiles—which is equivalent to one car per 1.4 inhabitants—traffic has become one of the main concerns for the inhabitants in this part of the country. According to the research, Mexicans lost around 97 hours in traffic during 2024. The average driver in the United Kingdom lost 62 hours due to traffic congestion, 1 hour more compared to 2023. Specifically, 101 hours were lost in traffic in London. The capital still accounts for approximately 50% of all traffic delays in the UK. The total cost for London was £3.85 billion, with an average of £942 per driver.

You may be interested in: Assessment of measures to improve traffic chaos: What has really worked in Santo Domingo?

Due to the concentration of population, employment, and economic activity, London hosts the majority of the corridors with the highest number of traffic delays in the United Kingdom. Driving through the most congested corridor in London —the A40 westbound, between the North Circular and the A406— at 5:00 PM, rush hour, meant 17 additional minutes or 68 hours of traffic jams throughout the year. Works on the Wisely bypass, on the M25 and M3, caused high levels of delays, and this corridor ranked third in the UK.

The TomTom Traffic Index 2024

The TomTom Traffic Index 2024, one of the most comprehensive reports on urban mobility globally, yields similar results to the Global Traffic Report.

According to the report published in May by the Dutch company specializing in navigation and mobility, New York is in second place among the most congested cities on the continent. Mexico City holds the first place, where average travel times exceed those of any other North American city. This index, which is based on information collected from more than 600 million connected devices, analyzes the time it takes to travel a standard distance of six miles (equivalent to about 9.6 kilometers) in real traffic conditions. The chaos of traffic is not just a daily nuisance, but a direct reflection of urban inequality, lack of planning, and the disconnection between population growth and road development. The solution is not solely about building more roads, but rather investing in efficient public transport, road education, smart technologies and a real political commitment. Meanwhile, traffic remains a silent trap that paralyzes cities and wears down societies.