Mathematicians Explain ‘Phantom’ Traffic Jams
Ever been in a traffic jam with no apparent cause? Mathematicians from the University of Exeter have solved the mystery by developing a model that shows why major delays can sometimes occur:
Their model revealed that slowing down below a critical speed when reacting to such an event, a driver would force the car behind to slow down further and the next car back to reduce its speed further still.
The result of this is that several miles back, cars would finally grind to a halt, with drivers oblivious to the reason for their delay.
