Bumper1-to-bumper traffic jams across the United States, particularly on the West coast, are costing Americans US$63.1 billion a year in wasted fuel2 and delays, according to an annual study.

The study by the Texas Transportation Institute said traffic congestion has continued to worsen on U.S. roads despite3 slow growth in jobs and travel.

The study found Americans wasted 2.3 billion gallons of fuel annually through vehicle engines left idling4 in traffic snarl-ups5. It also found the annual delay per peak6 period（rush hour）traveler had increased to 47 hours from 16 hours since 1982.

根據一項年度研究，全美（尤其是西岸），因車輛保險桿碰保險桿而大排長龍的交通阻塞，所耗費的燃料與時間的延誤，使美國人一年損失六百三十一億美元。

德州運輸學會的研究指出，儘管美國的工作機會與旅遊成長緩慢，道路交通的擁塞卻持續惡化。

研究發現，交通阻塞時車輛引擎空轉，使美國人每年耗費二十三億加侖的燃料。研究也發現，旅客每年在交通尖峰時段（擁擠時刻）的耽擱延誤，已從一九八二年的十六小時增加到四十七小時。

 【Vocabulary  單字精解】

1.bumper    n. 保險槓

2.fuel    n. 燃料

3.despite    prep. 儘管

4.idle     a. 空轉的

5.snarl-up    使（交通等）堵塞

6.peak〔孮婩婑〕a. 高峰的