No one likes getting stuck in traffic or getting a ticket, so use an app to get alerted before you get stuck. For a free traffic option, our pick is Google Maps (Free on iTunes, preloaded on Android devices). Not only does it show you the quickest route when you start out, it will alert you when a faster route becomes available. For even more accurate traffic reports, we like the premium version of Inrix XD Traffic Maps & Alerts (Free basic app for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Blackberry, plus $9.99 upgrade to premium). Inrix factors in historical traffic patterns by date, along with current traffic, accidents, events and police activity. With the basic version, you can save two locations, which would cover one trip. With premium, you can save and track routes for unlimited destinations, plus see fuel prices.
If you typically use a radar detector, you'll appreciate Waze (Free on iTunes, Google Play and Windows Phone Store). This traffic app uses crowdsourced data to find a faster route for your commute, but the alerts provided by other users include speed traps as well. With a large user base, this app is as good as real-time traffic reporting gets.
