Manila among the world’s most stressful cities to drive in, says study  

The current pandemic aside, if you’ve always found yourself dreading the thought of another day in the driver’s seat where Manila is concerned, you’re not alone. A recent study suggests that taking the wheel in the country’s capital could be bad for your health. 

A study says that just sitting behind the wheel in Manila can potentially shorten your lifespan

A survey by U.K.-based motoring blog Hiyacar places Manila among the world’s most stressful cities to drive in. The city placed 17th among a field of the 36 most populated areas around the globe, scoring 4.4 out of 10. The most challenging city for drivers is Mumbai in India, gathering 7.4 points. This was followed by Paris, France (6.4); Jakarta, Indonesia (6.0); Delhi, India (5.9); and New York in the U.S. (5.6).   

Meanwhile, the five cities least likely to stress drivers out on the road are São Paulo, Brazil (2.7); Hangzhou (2.6), Tianjin (2.6) and Dongguan (2.4), all in China; and Lima in Peru (2.1). The study based its findings on several criteria that directly and indirectly affected motorists. These include the number of cars per capita, total number of vehicles in a given city, severity of traffic congestion, quality of public roads, public commuting options, number of traffic accidents annually, and the city density.

It will take more than just additional infrastructure to relieve the stresses of driving

A variety of factors contribute to driving stress. Running late is one of them, compounded by traffic congestion and the occasional road accident where other drivers slow down to gawk at the scene (also called rubbernecking). Distracted driving can also be stressful, as a lack of awareness leaves drivers more vulnerable to unexpected situations. 

Another culprit Filipinos are familiar with is the presence of inconsiderate road users, especially those who fail to use their turn signals and cut across the entire width of the road when making a turn. Getting lost is also a pet peeve, with one-way streets, road construction activities, and the prospect of being flagged down by a traffic enforcer for a violation.      

While there are some realities that we really can’t do anything about, there are others that are within our control. Taking deep breaths and playing music while stuck in traffic can help take the edge off. Practicing defensive driving is also sound advice. Focusing on nothing else but the road ahead isn’t going to make you prescient, but at least your stress levels won’t be through the roof.    

You won’t stress out over our motoring stories at Philkotse.com.