Local road conditions change rapidly so it is important to stay current when you are commuting. Whether it is the commute home or across the country, knowing which roads have free flowing traffic and where the traffic hot spots and accidents are, will save you time and money since your car will not burn gas sitting at a tie-up.

Find road travel conditions before you start your commute and stay up to date on conditions with radio announcements or the latest information on your cell phone or PDA. Look for the following before you start your commute:

1. Look up current road conditions using Internet sites.

2. Get weather and road conditions state-wide on your mobile phone.

3. Find interstate road conditions when traveling across the country on business or vacation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check weather and road conditions before beginning any commute

Right before you hop in the car to drive to work, shopping, home or anywhere else, make it a habit to check road conditions. This will save you time, aggravation and money. With the price of gas, you do not want to sit in a tie-up that you can avoid.

I recommend: Google Maps provides a map with all 50 states on it. Each traffic light represents a road condition challenge. Click on the traffic light to zoom in and then on crash icons to see details of the accident, including when it started, when it was resolved, and if it is clear. You can also get live traffic reports for your local area by clicking in the on-screen live traffic box. Map Quest gives you traffic and road conditions in all 50 states. Pick your state and then check traffic locally on the map. Customize your map with the incidents or construction you want to see. The map refreshes every five minutes automatically or you can click the refresh link for instant updates.

Tune into state road conditions from your mobile phone or PDA

Save road conditions in 'favorites' on your cell phone or PDA and check frequently for accidents and road closures, so you can plan alternate routes when your normal route is obstructed.

I recommend: US Road Conditions lets you click on your state and see up-to-the-minute road conditions across your state. You can see the traffic cams and view the accident or traffic tie-up. Travel Forecast lists each state with the road condition reports beneath it. Click on the report and another window opens with the information.

Watch travel road conditions before and during your business trip

Before you leave on your next business or pleasure trip, check highway road conditions across the country so you know what lies ahead. Make sure you have national road conditions websites saved on your mobile phone or PDA so you can check conditions frequently.

I recommend: The Weather Channel provides road conditions on the interstates across the country. Just click on the state and then the county and read the incidents, so you know which roads to avoid. US Dept. of Transportation provides road conditions in all 50 states by clicking on the state link.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you do find yourself stuck in unavoidable local road conditions turn off your air conditioner so it does not overheat. If traffic stops, turn off your engine to save gas and prevent overheating.