Drivers in the tri-state area are no strangers to heavy traffic. Whether you're trying to get in or out of New York City, fighting out-of-towners on the turnpike or battling summer beachgoers by the shore, you know what it's like to wait behind a line of other idling cars. No one likes this obstacle, as it adds a lot of time to a commute and can put drivers at risk for collisions. 

What drivers need to know
TomTom recently released a study on traffic congestion throughout the U.S. Most of the worst examples of these vehicular back-ups occur during the afternoon rush hour. In fact, the report found that commuters spent so much time stuck in traffic in 2014 that they could have traveled to the moon and back as many as 2.5 times. And that only counts congestion from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. – meaning the real figures are much more significant. 

Avoiding annoying traffic
So you want to bypass the worst of the traffic – now what? TomTom noted that people in the New York area may want to use a few pieces of knowledge to their advantage. For starters, people leaving the city may want to avoid leaving on the hour, such as at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., in favor of departing at the 30- or 45-minute mark. The report stated that leaving at these times, whether it's 5:30 p.m., 5:45 p.m. or 4:45 p.m., can take as much as 25 minutes off of your travel time. Conversely, people who leave at 5 p.m. on the dot may find that an hour-long commute doubles to nearly two hours. 

How to save money and time
You can take advantage of every driving trick in the book, but odds are you're still going to end up stuck in traffic – at least periodically. This doesn't have to be the end of the world. People who are behind the wheel of reliable, efficient vehicles can rest assured that they – and their wallets – are protected on the roads. A good car will be fuel efficient, so it doesn't waste too much gas idling. 

If you don't trust your current ride in traffic, don't waste time and head over to NJ State Auto Auction. There you can browse through hundreds of Carfax-certified used cars, trucks and vans to find a vehicle that meets all of your needs. Not only can these automobiles handle traffic smoothly, but they can also save you gas money in the long run.