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- Time In Traffic Has Increased 6 Hours Over 2024
That reality underscores just how powerful the car has become as a space for brands to make meaningful connections with local consumers nationwide.
Between daily commutes and the rise of the car as a true “third space”, for calls, errands, content consumption, and decompression, Americans are spending more time behind the wheel than ever. Newly released data from transportation analytics firm INRIX highlights the scale of that opportunity: according to its latest Global Traffic Scorecard, drivers are spending nearly two full days each year sitting in traffic alone.
For marketers, that growing in-car time represents a captive, attentive environment where audio, and especially radio, can deliver consistent reach and real impact.
Residents of major American cities, including many of the nation’s top radio metros, continued to experience outsized congestion in 2025. In total, 16 U.S. cities exceeded the national average of 49 hours lost to traffic, reinforcing the disproportionate impact congestion has on urban commuters.
Drivers in markets such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles once again logged congestion levels well above the national norm, spending more than double the U.S. average time sitting in traffic over the course of the year. For advertisers, these high-density metros represent sustained, repeat exposure to engaged in-car audiences during extended daily travel windows.
Between daily commutes and the rise of the car as a true “third space”, for calls, errands, content consumption, and decompression, Americans are spending more time behind the wheel than ever. Newly released data from transportation analytics firm INRIX highlights the scale of that opportunity: according to its latest Global Traffic Scorecard, drivers are spending nearly two full days each year sitting in traffic alone.
For marketers, that growing in-car time represents a captive, attentive environment where audio, and especially radio, can deliver consistent reach and real impact.
Residents of major American cities, including many of the nation’s top radio metros, continued to experience outsized congestion in 2025. In total, 16 U.S. cities exceeded the national average of 49 hours lost to traffic, reinforcing the disproportionate impact congestion has on urban commuters.
Drivers in markets such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles once again logged congestion levels well above the national norm, spending more than double the U.S. average time sitting in traffic over the course of the year. For advertisers, these high-density metros represent sustained, repeat exposure to engaged in-car audiences during extended daily travel windows.
Chicago has emerged as the most impacted city in the U.S. Impact Ranking, with drivers losing an average of 112 hours to congestion, followed by New York (102 hours) and Philadelphia (101 hours). Chicago moved ahead of New York as delays in the Windy City rose 10% year over year, while congestion levels in the New York Urban Area remained largely flat. Double digit percentage increases were seen in 13 of the top 25 urban areas.
New York stands out for a different reason: the implementation of congestion pricing. In 2024, five New York roadways ranked among the nation’s 25 busiest corridors; in 2025, only one remains on the list, highlighting a significant shift in traffic demand and congestion patterns following the program’s rollout.
AM/FM radio continues to dominate in-car listening, capturing 9 out of every 10 minutes spent with audio - outpacing streaming, podcasts, and satellite radio combined. Despite the expanding array of in-car entertainment options, broadcast radio remains the primary choice for drivers, delivering greater reach and exposing far more consumers to advertising than any other in-vehicle audio platform.
As congestion stretches commutes and turns the car into one of the most consistent touchpoints in consumers’ daily lives, the value of in-car media only grows.