Get the traffic update before you begin any commute. 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.

Listen to live traffic reports 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. Find the website traffic report for current conditions.

2. Listen to real time traffic reports on your cell phone.

3. Look up interstate traffic accident reports when traveling across the country.

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

Check the local traffic report 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 traffic 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: Traffic.com provides current traffic conditions in all cities. Just type in your city name and the screen will populate with all current incidents. Check this tool every day before leaving the house for the latest traffic conditions. Google Maps shows traffic conditions for all 50 states. Just click on the traffic signal to see the incident. If you do not see a signal, then traffic is clear in that area.

Tune into highway traffic conditions from your mobile phone or PDA

Save traffic information 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: Accu Traffic gives real-time reports for every state. Click on the state and the next page gives you a list of choices for that state. Click on either traffic or road conditions. A list of all current traffic conditions populates on the next page. Beat the Traffic provides a map of all states. Click on a city name and then on the next page click on "incidents" at the top of the page to find every current traffic event.

Watch the freeway traffic report before and during your business trip

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

I recommend: SmarTraveler provides all current traffic events. They also provide driving directions, best routes to take and a list of traffic cams. Traffic Gauge provides maps of major cities, color- coded with light, slow, or stop and go traffic. Refresh the map to see the traffic conditions change.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many states have laws about using cell phones while driving; be sure to adhere to the laws in your state so you do not become a traffic report statistic.