What dua do I say when I'm stuck in traffic?

Start with the dua for your vehicle

When you get into the car, bus or train, the Quran teaches you to remember the One who made it possible:

Add "wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun" (and to our Lord we will surely return) from the next verse. For longer journeys, there is a fuller travel dua. See What dua do I say when I travel?

What to say while you wait

• "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" (there is no power and no strength except with Allah). The Prophet ﷺ called it a treasure from the treasures of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 6384). It fits perfectly when you feel powerless in a queue of cars.
• "Astaghfirullah" (I seek Allah's forgiveness). Ten minutes of standstill can be a few hundred istighfars.
• "SubhanAllah, alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar", or any dhikr you know.
• "Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakil" (Allah is enough for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs), when you are worried about being late.

Dhikr with the tongue while driving is completely fine, as long as your eyes and attention stay on the road. See Can I do dhikr while driving or working?

Make your own dua

The Prophet ﷺ said three duas are answered without doubt: the dua of the oppressed, the dua of the traveller, and a father's dua for his child (Sunan Abi Dawud 1536). Scholars differ over whether a daily commute counts as "travel" in this sense, but making dua in any situation is good. Ask for your job, your family, your guidance, or simply that you arrive safely.

Keep your temper

Traffic tests patience. Horn-blasting, rude gestures and swearing don't fit a Muslim's character. The Prophet ﷺ said the strong person is not the one who wins a wrestling match, but the one who controls himself when angry (Sahih al-Bukhari 6114). If you feel road rage rising, say "A'udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim" and breathe. See What should I say when I'm angry as a Muslim?