Working mothers face more commuting pressure

The weariest commuters tend to be women with children at home. In a study of rail passengers, working moms had higher stress than working dads. The culprit is women's added child-care responsibilities, says Richard Wener, a psychologist at New York University and a co-author of the study. Even where men share child-rearing duties, it's the moms who have deadlines at both ends of the commute, he says.

BYPASS AHEAD

Commuters who endure heavy traffic nearly triple their odds of suffering a heart attack the next hour, according to a German study. Among women, the risk is even higher - almost five times the norm.

DAY SHIFTS

The typical car commuter is most stressed out on Thursdays. Researchers have attributed this to a "weekend effect," in which stress peaks just before Friday.

DEALING WITH IT

Asked if they would teleport "Star Trek"-style to and from work if given the chance, 67 percent of commuters said no. For some, traveling is a chance to return phone calls or relax.

ROAD RAGE

Older drivers handle traffic jams better than younger ones - possibly because younger workers take more job stress home.