It’s the most wonderful (and jam-packed) time of the year!
Waze, the world’s largest community-based traffic and navigation app, is anticipating a more grueling gridlock this festive Season of Yule as many Christmas parties, shopping trips, and other activities that require travel from one location to another will happen. Waze data shows that from November to December 2018, there’s a 10% increase in the amount of Waze active users on the road which means more people are expected to be on the road this time of the year. With this, Waze shares nifty driving hacks that will help drivers ease their stress out of traffic this holiday season.
1. Planned Drives
For a foolproof Christmas gathering, reserve ahead of time or travel early as much as possible. Plan your route and prevent being stuck – or worse, celebrating Christmas on the road. This feature will help you know exactly when to leave your place in order to be at your desired destination on time.
2. Use the right vehicle type
You can choose between Private for cars with no special restrictions, Taxi to get routes great for taxis and Motorcycle to get fast routes with roads that are too narrow for cars. Using the correct category of vehicle type will help you navigate through your destination while avoiding possible traffic violations.
3. Roadside Assistance
Spending Christmas outdoors? Be sure to gas up and check your gears before your trip. Waze offers roadside assistance which users enjoy along with last minute promotions and sales from partner establishments such as gas stations, restaurants, and retail brands. You can also report real-time accidents, police traps, blocked roads, weather conditions and more that will help fellow Wazers get the most optimal route to their destinations without hassle.
4. Select Routes
Even though Waze is set to automatically pick the fastest route, it is best to check all available route options possible. This way you could personally pick the route that avoids roads you don’t want to take or add a stopover that you’ll be navigated to for your last-minute Christmas shopping without cancelling your trip. include a stop you need for your last-minute Christmas shopping.
5. Share your ETA
In case you have a Christmas party and you’re arriving late, inform your friends that you are really on your way! Tap ‘Send ETA’ at the bottom of the Waze map to let them follow your drive in real-time via text or any messaging app so they will know when to expect you.
6. Voice Direction
Another exciting Waze voice option to try starting this Christmas season is from our very own Mimiyuuuh. Made possible by Lazada, her voice is now available on the app to make rides more enjoyable with her unique voice and witty directions. Her voice will be available on the app only until March 2020. To make Mimiyuuuh your new Waze voice, simply go to Settings > Voice Directions > Mimiyuuuh for Lazada
According to Waze data, people tend to drive longer during the Christmas season to go to shopping centers, restaurants, hotels, banks, and supermarkets/groceries, and similar trends have been observed during seasonal holidays. In fact, just for shopping alone, around 2 million navigations were made monthly. During weekdays, drives start to increase at 7am and peak from 5pm to 6pm. While for weekends, drives start later at 10am and peak from 2pm to 5pm. Highest navigations are during Valentine’s Day, Back-to-School season, and of course, Christmas.
With drivers spending an average of 5 mins/km on the road during the holiday season, you can be sure that Waze has your back. Avoid road mishaps, know which roads are passable, and bring lots of patience as you drive your way to your destination. Have a Happy Holi-WAZE!
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