For those struggling through Doha traffic morning, noon and night, this might come as something of a relief: Google Maps now offers real-time traffic updates.

Whether by browser or app (Android & iPhone), you can check your route via internet-enabled smartphones, tablets and computers to see whether you’re going to run into a back-up and need to find another way.

Just make sure you don’t do it while at the wheel, and risk causing a back-up of your own. 

For the moment, traffic updates appear to only be available in Doha and Wakra, as well as part of the highway from Salwa Road to Mesaieed.

Real-time traffic updates have been available on Google Maps in the US since 2009, and the service has been gradually expanded to include large parts of Europe and select Asian countries.

Google Maps already offers the service in the UAE and Kuwait, although it hasn’t yet reached the other Gulf countries – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

It remains to be seen how accurate the traffic updates are, so give it a go and let us know. Did it help you avoid traffic, or did you just gets stuck in more?

(via TFour.me)