Why everyone should take Seattle traffic report personally

If you need more of a reason to take the latest traffic report by INRIX personally, other than spending hours a year in gridlock, just consider the people you care about.

Living in an area with the seventh worst traffic in the country means Seattle drivers are losing more than two-and-a-half days with their family every year, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson pointed out.

Use this to help avoid gridlock

Drivers are stuck in traffic for 63 hours a year, on average, according to the study. Sure, there are geographic limitations, but there are also people in leadership roles who are either unable or unwilling to figure out a solution, Dori said. Politicians are spending billions on fixes to the problem that won’t really fix anything, he added.

Related: Avoiding the boondoggle of Seattle traffic takes years of foresight

And while people are not finding solutions to congestion, drivers are staring at the back of cars and inhaling fumes, rather than spending time with their loved ones.

“How much time do you get with your family a day?” Dori asked. “Three hours? Four hours?”

Sure, money spent sitting in traffic on roadways not being improved by taxpayer money is frustrating. But people can always earn more money.

“Taking away your time, that’s taking away a chunk of your life,” Dori said. “A chunk of your life … the time we have to be with the people we love.”

Time lost is why everyone should be upset at the lack of solutions for congestion in Seattle.

Tell us what slows you down each day