The worst traffic jam in history lasted for 12 entire days
Published on Sep 01, 2025 at 1:49 PM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Sep 01, 2025 at 9:08 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Have you ever stopped and wondered what the worst traffic jam in history might look like?
Being stuck in the middle of a traffic jam can be infuriating at the very best of times.
But this particular traffic jam surely beats out all the rest put together.
And that is because the worst traffic jam in history lasted for 12 entire days.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Worst traffic jam in history happens in China
So, how on Earth does the worst traffic jam in history actually come about?
Well, the location of the traffic jam at hand might not surprise you all that much.
On August 14th, 2010, traffic was going about its normal business in China.
It was specifically driving through the G110 highway near Hebei and Inner Mongolia.
What made the situation particularly bad was that it was a very, very hot day.
This left drivers with the awful choice between turning off engines to save gas or switching on the A/C.
And other circumstances on the G110 highway didn’t exactly help matters.
In fact, they actually led to the delays getting much, much worse.
On the day in question, a large number of commercial trucks were hauling huge amounts of natural resources.
These large vehicles, combined with major road construction happening on the freeways, significantly cut down the number of highway lanes available for travel.
As a result, the traffic jam situation started to worsen significantly on this day.
What started as a really annoying delay quickly evolved into a 60-mile traffic jam.
Mini-economy develops from frustration
Despite traffic moving at a snail’s pace, it’s unknown whether anyone was actually stuck for 12 straight days.
There were reports, however, of people being stuck on the G110 for five full days.
This road situation got so bad that an entire roadside economy started to develop.
Vendors started riding bicycles into traffic to sell food and water to stranded motorists.
On the one hand, it served the purpose of stopping people from dying from thirst or starvation.
On the other hand, however, a $1 bottle of water probably cost around 10-15 times the price.
What would you do if you were stuck in a traffic jam for 12 whole days?
Would you be able to make it through, or would the frustration be too much?
Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
