If you've headed out on the highway recently, there's a good chance that you've noticed there has been a heavy amount of traffic. Your eyes aren't deceiving you: There really is more congestion than in years past, at least as stated in the latest report from the INRIX, a provider of traffic information. 

According to INRIX, which recently released its Annual Traffic Scorecard Report, traffic congestion throughout 2013 increased, even after the previous two years saw a decline. Traffic congestion grew 6 percent in 2013 as the U.S. GDP increased 1.9 percent, signifying that economic growth is bringing more people to the roads as they head into work. 

If the economy continues to grow, more traffic could be coming to the roads. That has the potential to be bad news for commuters. Although much of the heaviest traffic could be situated in major hubs like Sao Paolo, Brazil, and Beijing, China, it will also extend to local areas such as New York City, Newark and Philadelphia. 

"If we do nothing we could end up with global gridlock," said Stephen Odell, Ford Motor Company president of EMEA. "The problem will be particularly serious in cities. We must all work together." 

Anyone who anticipates being a part of heavy traffic should be sure their cars are able to handle the stress. A large part of this can be taken care of by scheduling an auto tune up at a garage, such as the Total Car Care Center at NJ State Auto Auction. That facility caters to the public and can address any issue you may have, and the standard preventative maintenance offered may be enough to ensure your car is prepared for any type of traffic.