What is traffic data? Best Data Sources to get Road Traffic Data

What is Road Traffic Data?

Traffic data tells you about the volume, flow, speed and classification of vehicle traffic on the roads in a given area. It’s not to be confused with web traffic data or footfall traffic data - these datasets provide information about internet users and pedestrians in the street, not about cars and vehicles!

Traffic data commonly is traffic we see on the roads around us, and so is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘road traffic data’. However, traffic data has many sub-categories beyond this - rail traffic, freight traffic and marine traffic all tell you about the flow of vehicles in specific places and industries. But throughout this guide, whenever we refer to ‘traffic data’, we’re talking about data which counts and measures automobiles and public transport found on ordinary roads.
Examples of traffic data include vehicle counts, speed measurements, travel times, and traffic flow information. Traffic data is used for various purposes such as transportation planning, traffic management, and research on traffic patterns and congestion. In this page, you’ll find the best data sources for open source traffic data, including road traffic datasets and traffic data providers.