Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us)

Tom Vanderbilt peers under the hood of an activity so commonplace we barely think about it: the act of driving. And what he finds is utterly fascinating. It turns out that new safety features inspire us to drive more dangerously, most crashes happen on sunny days to sober drivers, and it's better to wait until the last minute to merge. These are just a few tidbits from this easily readable parade of revelations. Vanderbilt distils a huge amount of research from all over the world, even visiting the Netherlands and India to experience their traffic firsthand. If you liked Freakonomics, or if you've ever driven a car, you're sure to find yourself caught up in Traffic. -- János

Request Traffic from the Saint Paul Public Library, or better yet, request the audiobook and listen in your car!