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Traffic flow is studied using mathematical and statistical techniques and computer simulations in order to better understand the movement of vehicles on roads and highways. Americans drive their vehicles almost 3 trillion miles per year on approximately 4 million miles of public roads. Mathematical models have shown that the behavior of even a single driver can have a broad impact on overall traffic flow in this dynamic system. As every driver knows, traffic patterns can often be unpredictable and frustrating, leading to driver stress, accidents, pollution, wasted fuel, and wasted time. Mathematical analysis of traffic congestion can provide transportation engineers with insights leading to improvements in efficiency and safety in the transportation of goods and people. A mathematical understanding of traffic flow patterns can also provide guidance for the design of roadways and provide more accurate calculations of trip itineraries and real-time driving times. These can be disseminated to the public and used in intelligent transportation systems.