Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1495665
20 Unity SUNDAY 26 MARCH 2023 Dr Gottfried Catania Department of Psychology THE COVID-19 pandemic has shone the spotlight on mental health issues. Studies are still being conducted on the possible long-term psychologi- cal effects of the pandemic and associated lockdowns, as well as the effects on the economy which have been partly re- sponsible for the inflation and conse- quent increase in prices in most coun- tries. As a result, our wellbeing has been come to the forefront, and we have become much more sensitive to the effects of stress. One of the situations which caus- es daily stress in the lives of most of us is being stuck in ever increasing daily traf- fic, especially during peak travelling times when most of us commute to and from work. A long time spent in traffic results in wasting time which could have been used better, and has been associated with weight increases and higher blood pres- sure. Cars waiting in traffic are exposed to as much as 40% more pollution, with the consequent negative effects on our health. Being stuck in traffic frequently can al- so lead to chronic stress problems. Stress while in traffic can result in increased impatience, while having to wait for the traffic to move and deal with the mistakes of other motorists on the already over- crowded roads. If not handled promptly, impatience can turn into resentment, ag- gressive driving, and anger – all of which can eventually lead to road rage. It is also well known, of course, that stress may lead to a number of long-term physical and psychological negative ef- fects, including heart problems, stomach problems, depression and anxiety. Driv- ers who regularly wake up early in or- der to avoid the morning traffic and get to work on time may also be deprived of sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to anxi- ety, frustration, impulsive behaviour, lower immunity, and greater propensity to abuse drugs and alcohol. It can also affect long term memory, attention and performance – leading to an increased risk of traffic accidents. The above statements seem to be reflected in the results of a sur- vey carried out by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing at the University of Malta in 2020, which found that while most of the 600 participants reported being sat- isfied with life in general, traffic conges- tion was noted as being a problem by of half of them. Infrastructural issues related to the sit- uation are complex and difficult to ad- dress – the rapid increase in population and related increase in number of cars on the road these past few years, as well as the roadworks being carried out all over the island in the hope of improving the situation but impacting traffic flow in the meantime, have definitely taken their toll on the deteriorating traffic sit- uation. The inconsistency of the public trans- port system, even though it has been made free of charge for all Maltese cit- izens, means that few drivers consider this as a viable option to using their pri- vate cars. As a result, we might need to look elsewhere in order to find effective solutions for the problems caused or ag- gravated by ever increasing traffic. The COVID-19 pandemic already re- ferred to above may provide some possi- ble solutions. During lockdown periods, when most workplaces, except for the essential ones, had to resort to finding ways to work from home, we managed to cope relatively well with the situation and life went on, albeit mostly behind closed doors. The streets were so re- freshingly car free for those who had to drive through necessity! After lockdowns were lifted, most workplaces returned to previous meth- ods, with employees expected to com- mute daily to the workplace and work from there. It seems most of the les- sons learned through necessity during the pandemic were forgotten! Finding more creative methods of working can be part of the solution to the traffic problem – if, for example workplaces which can do so were to adopt a hybrid method of working, say with employees working one day a week from home on a rotating basis, the ef- fect on traffic would be significant. Another solution might be staggering working times, so that not all employ- ees start and end the working day at the same time. These adaptations have the added advantage of being potentially family friendly, and thus will probably be wel- comed by some, if not most, employees. Traffic... It makes me so stressed! Cover story Cars and traffic CAR USE, FROM PAGE 1 In the survey, 1 represented the least level of agreement while 7 represented full agree- ment. Overall, the survey shows that a majority (53%) would consider using the car less if there is a more reliable public transport, but around a third of the population disagrees. Moreover, one in five (19%) "strongly disagreed" with the statement, in a strong indica- tion that they would keep us- ing their car irrespective of the state of the country's public transport system. Moreover, a breakdown by occupations shows that the most likely to consider reduc- ing car use if public transport is more reliable were retired people, while students were the least likely to consider do- ing the same. A breakdown by education also shows that peo- ple with a post-secondary level of education are the least like- ly to reduce car use if public transport is improved. On the other hand, those who attended trade schools or have a primary level of ed- ucation, who are most likely to be older, were the most likely to reduce the use of the car if public transport is improved. Unsurprisingly, men are al- so more attached to their car then females. Females were slightly more willing to consid- er reducing car use if public t r a n s p o r t improves. The survey clearly shows that traffic is having a neg- ative impact on people's everyday life. For example, a staggering 76% sometime prefer not to go out due to the thought of traffic and park- ing difficulties. But younger people and students are also the least likely to stay inside because of traffic while old- er respondents are the most likely to do so.