TED-Ed

How to fix traffic jams - Jonas Eliasson

TED-Ed

Summary

Road congestion remains a significant challenge in cities worldwide, with urban planners struggling to find effective solutions. The discussion highlights various city layouts, from dense European centers with limited road capacity to sprawling American cities with extensive road networks but minimal public transport. Despite numerous attempts to alleviate congestion, many strategies fail because they impose solutions on individuals rather than creating incentives for self-organization.

A case study from Stockholm illustrates the effectiveness of congestion pricing. When charges of one to two euros were introduced at key bottlenecks, traffic volume decreased by 20% during rush hours, leading to substantial reductions in congestion. Surprisingly, this change persisted over time, even after the initial trial period ended. Public sentiment shifted dramatically, with support for congestion pricing rising from 30% to 70% as residents adapted to the new system and began to appreciate its benefits.

Research indicates that many drivers were unaware of their changing travel patterns, suggesting that people's perceptions of their habits can be fluid. The findings emphasize the potential of "nudges" to influence behavior without overtly directing individuals. By creating the right incentives, cities can effectively manage traffic and improve public acceptance of necessary changes.

Show Notes

It's an unfortunate reality in nearly every major city—road congestion, especially during rush hours. Jonas Eliasson reveals how subtly nudging just a small percentage of drivers to stay off major roads can make traffic jams a thing of the past. (Filmed at TEDxHelvetia.) Talk by Jonas Eliasson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from TED-Ed

Oct 23, 2026

Examine the empty land theory, which was created by European colonizers in South Africa to support their claims to the region.--From the 1650s through the late 1800’s, European colonists descended on South Africa. They sought to claim the region, becoming even more aggressive after discovering the area’s abundant natural resources. To support their claims to the land, the colonizers asserted they were settling in empty land devoid of local people. Was this argument true? Anneliese Mehnert debunks the Empty Land Theory.Lesson by Anneliese Mehnert, directed by Héloïse Dorsan-Rachet.Support Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/history-s-most-dangerous-myth-anza-mehnertDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/history-s-most-dangerous-myth-anza-mehnert#digdeeperAnimator's website: https://www.heloisedr.com & https://www.instagram.com/helo.drMusic: https://www.campstudio.co/----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Siamak Hajizadeh, Ryohky Araya, Mayank Kaul, Christophe Dessalles, Heather Slater, Sandra Tersluisen, Zhexi Shan, Bárbara Nazaré, Andrea Feliz, Victor E Karhel, Sydney Evans, Latora, Noel Situ, emily lam, Sid, Niccolò Frassetto, Mana, I'm here because of Knowledge Fight Facebook group., Linda Freedman, Edgardo Cuellar, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, Michael Burton, VIVIANA A GARCIA BESNE, The Vernon's, Olha Bahatiuk, Jesús Bíquez Talayero, Chels Raknrl, Sai Pranavi Jonnalagadda, Stuart Rice, Jing Chen, Vector-Dopamine math, Jasper Song, Giorgio Bugnatelli, Chardon, Eddy Trochez, OnlineBookClub.org, Eric Shear, Leith Salem, Omar Hicham, Adrian Rotaru, Brad Sullivan, Karen Ho, Niklas Frimberger, Hunter Manhart, Nathan Nguyen, Igor Stavchanskiy, James R DeVries, Grace Huo, Diana Huang and Chau Hong Diem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

If you enjoy this lesson, we highly recommend reading "The World Without Us." A discounted e-book version is available here: https://amzn.to/2QwSPyHUploaded 17-09-18Check out our book rec page to learn more: https://shop.ed.ted.com/products/the-world-without-usView full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-would-happen-if-every-human-suddenly-disappeared-dan-kwartlerHuman beings are everywhere. With settlements on every continent, we can be found in the most isolated corners of Earth’s jungles, oceans and tundras. Our impact is so profound, most scientists believe humanity has left a permanent mark on Earth’s geological record. So what would happen if suddenly, every human on Earth disappeared? Dan Kwartler investigates.Lesson by Dan Kwartler, directed by Globizco Studios.Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Tsz Hin Edmund Chan, Melvin Williams, Tirath Singh Pandher, Athena Grace Franco, Terry Minion, Ian McPherson, Mauricio Basso, Kelvin Lam, Jamesbo87, Tara Frost, Karlee Finch, Chumi Ogbonna, Barthélémy Michalon, Lefty McGoo, Lucas Pincerato, Prefer Anonymous, Mohamed Elsayed, Amin Shahril, Mihail Radu Pantilimon, Chris Thompson, Derek Drescher, Karisa Caudill, Zhong Ming Zenny Tan, Christina Salvatore, Brady Jones, Todd Gross, Alexis Hevia, Heidi Stolt, Daisy Trujillo, Robert Seik, Coenraad Keuning, Charles A Hershberger, Laura Cameron Keith, Abhishek Goel, Max Ngomane, Rafael Kato, Jen O'Hogan, Renu Balak, Marc Bou Zeid, JY Kang, Anastasiia , Madee Lo, Arpita Singh, Karl Laius, Barbarossa , Luca Oradini, Tu-Anh Nguyen, Melissa Rocha, and Julia Fell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

Explore what happened after the Big Bang and how the battle between gravity and pressure shaped the structure of our universe.--It’s time for the biggest battle in the Universe: the Big Bang. In one corner is gravity— the force that brings all matter together. In the other is pressure— the force that can push matter away. Over the next several hundred thousand years, these two contenders will be wrestling for the fate of the Universe. But what are these powers fighting over? Fabio Pacucci digs into this historic matchup.Lesson by Fabio Pacucci, directed by Joseph Clark.Support Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-battle-that-formed-the-universe-fabio-pacucciDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-battle-that-formed-the-universe-fabio-pacucci#digdeeperAnimator's website: http://ohstudio.co.uk----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! OnlineBookClub.org, Eric Shear, Leith Salem, Omar Hicham, Adrian Rotaru, Brad Sullivan, Karen Ho, Niklas Frimberger, Hunter Manhart, Nathan Nguyen, Igor Stavchanskiy, James R DeVries, Grace Huo, Diana Huang, Chau Hong Diem, Orlellys Torre, Corheu, Thomas Mee, Maryann H McCrory, Blas Borde, John Hellmann, Poompak Meephian, Chuck Wofford, Adam Pagan, Wes Winn, Conder Shou, ntiger, Noname, Hansan Hu, David D, Mac Hyney, Keith Ellison, robin valero walters, Lynne Truesdale, Gatsby Dkdc, Matthew Neal, Denis Chon, Julian Oberhofer, Monte Carroll, Eddy, Jay M, Constantino Victor Delgado, Andrea Galvagni, Andrew Tweddle, Laurel-Ann Rice, Fernando A. Endo, Helen Lee, pam morgan, sarim haq and Gerardo Castro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

Dig into the psychology of political partisanship, how to recognize it and what strategies can be used to combat it. Uploaded 04-02-20--Can someone’s political identity actually affect their ability to process information? The answer lies in a cognitive phenomenon known as partisanship. While identifying with social groups is an essential and healthy part of life, it can become a problem when the group’s beliefs are at odds with reality. So how can we recognize and combat partisanship? Jay Van Bavel shares helpful strategies.Lesson by Jay Van Bavel, directed by Patrick Smith.Animator's website: http://www.blendfilms.comSign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterSupport us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagramView full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/do-politics-make-us-irrational-jay-van-bavelThank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Pavel Maksimov, Victoria Soler-Roig, Betsy Feathers, Samuel Barbas, Therapist Gus, Sai Krishna Koyoda, Elizabeth Parker, William Bravante, Irindany Sandoval, Mark wisdom, Brighteagle, Beatriz Inácio, Mighterbump, Pamela Harrison, Maija Chapman, Liana Switzer, Curtis Light, The Brock, Dianne Palomar, Edgar Campos Barrachina, Maria Lerchbaumer, Ever Granada, Marin Kovachev, Ravi S. Rāmphal, Penelope Misquitta, Tekin Gültekin, Jhuval , Hans Peng, Gaurav Mathur, Erik Biemans, Tony, Michelle, Katie and Josh Pedretti, Vaibhav Mirjolkar, Thomas Bahrman, Allan Hayes, Aidan Forero, Uday Kishore, Mikhail Shkirev, Devesh Kumar, Sunny Patel, Anuj Tomar, Lowell Fleming, David Petrovič, Hoai Nam Tran, Stina Boberg, Alexandrina Danifeld, Kack-Kyun Kim, Travis Wehrman, haventfiguredout, Caitlin de Falco and Ken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 23, 2026

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/we-need-to-talk-about-an-injustice-bryan-stevensonIn an engaging and personal talk -- with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks -- human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America's justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country's black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives. These issues, which are wrapped up in America's unexamined history, are rarely talked about with this level of candor, insight and persuasiveness. Talk by Bryan Stevenson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See all episodes →