Scientists are attempting to create a “unified theory of traffic“. Of course the problem is that human behavior is notoriously difficult to model. But the basics of traffic flow have been mapped out and the intricacies that contribute to slowdowns are being worked out. My traffic jam fix, an idea I’ve heard from other people too, is to put up large obstructing screens when traffic accidents occur. People always slow down to view the scene of an accident. Even if the police are efficient about moving the damaged cars and emergency vehicles to the side of the road, the rubbernecking keeps traffic at a crawl (and it’s almost more torturous to be poking along at 5mph then sitting at a dead stop). But if everything is somehow hidden from the passing cars, then things should move along smoothly. Move along people, nothing can be seen here.