What’s used to reduce traffic bunching on a motorway?
Question topic: Car , Motorway rules
Looking for a better way to track your progress?
With so many questions, it's hard to remember which ones you've covered.
PRO membership lets you easily track which questions you've completed.
Traffic bunching and variable speed limits
In an Exeter University study reported in the Independent:
They discovered that under certain conditions, when cars are bunched in a specific density and travelling at a specific speed, a single driver over-reacting can set off a braking shockwave that will build momentum and travel back along a motorway for miles.
Variable speed limits, which can be controlled manually or automatically, can help reduce this type of effect which can be quite significant. Below is a very short video in which scientists recreate traffic bunching on a circular road.
Popular Theory Test Questions
Question topic: Car , Motorway rules