What are the busiest streets at taco time?

A daily problem experienced by motorists is related to traffic jams. Since there are no traffic restrictions in Chile due to congestion, the growing fleet of vehicles saturates the national streets without there being a quick alternative to leave or return home.

The stakes are not minor and according to the “Public opinion study on road safety in Chile” presented by CADEM in January of this year, “the experience of traveling in the city is strongly determined by the weather invested in the different routes. This is explained by the fact that the usual home-to-work journeys are felt as a “procedure” and for the same reason, they are not experienced as a voluntary experience of pleasure, but rather as an obligation. In this context, most feel that they are traveling “rushed” and for this reason, the less time it takes, the better the experience.

Aware of the negative connotation generated by traffic jams, we ask ourselves the question what are the peak hours?

According to information published by Autofact, the rush hour is between 07:30 and 9:00 and from 17:30 when everyone returns to their homes. This corresponds to the normal days of the year, but in summer the congestion in Santiago decreases and increases in the most touristic cities.

To avoid problems or reduce the risk of accidents due to reaching while in a block, in addition to trying to plan the route in advance, the motoring site advises the following:

• Keep a safe distance: this is essential to prevent traffic accidents, in order to have time to react to an unforeseen situation. It’s no use being glued to the car in front of us
• Be aware of traffic: always with all your senses alert to what is happening, looking in your mirrors, being mindful of blind spots and paying close attention to motorcycles and cyclists moving alongside or between vehicles .
• Ditch the Cell Phone: In a taco, it’s hard to avoid the temptation to pick up the phone. But today, this action is regulated by the No Chat law and you could be subject to a penalty if you are caught. Tampering with a cell phone is a very serious offence, therefore the fine ranges from 1.5 to 3 UTMs, or approximately $95,000 to $190,000.

• Be careful: no one likes to spend long minutes in a block, but you should stay calm, not be aggressive or impatient, and respect other drivers. Honking and arguing won’t get you there any faster. Or fall into aggressiveness with the other drivers, it could end very badly.
• Respect for the rest: moving little or nothing can be desperate, and all you want to do is move forward even a few feet. But be careful with railroad crossings, don’t block this area, because it will cause more chaos and you may also be fined, because it is a serious traffic violation, with a fine ranging from 1 to 1.5 UTM, i.e. between $65,000 and $95,000 approximately.

Regarding the most congested streets, the Autofact site indicates that it is in Santiago that the largest tacos are concentrated, since more than 50% of the vehicle fleet is located in the capital. The streets with the biggest blockages, the ones motorists should try to avoid, are:

• North Vespucci Motorway
• Manuel Rodriguez with Santo Domingo
• Avenue Vitacura with Américo Vespucio
• Eliodoro Yáñez Avenue / Carlos Antúnez Street / Pedro de Valdivia Avenue
• Avenue of Providence
• Avenue of the Liberator Bernardo O’Higgins
• Avenue Vicuna Mackenna
• Highways that connect Santiago

• Francisco de Aguirre Avenue
• waterfront avenue
• Alexander Avenue
• willow avenue

• Liberty Avenue
• Argentinian Avenue
• St. Martin Avenue

• San Juan Avenue to Bombero Villalobos intersection
• Avenue Escriva de Balaguer
• El Cobre highway.
• Millan Avenue
• Alameda Avenue

• Llacolén Bridge
• Avenue Paicavi
• Carrera Avenue
• Concepción – Talcahuano Highway

• Picard Avenue
• Pedro de Valdivia Bridge