由于 (due to / owing to)

Blame the traffic, formally

• due to由于yóu yú = "due to / owing to" — a formal cause.
• due to由于yóu yútraffic jam堵车dǔ chē，I / me我wǒto arrive late迟到chí dào(completed / change)了le = "due to traffic, I was late."
• due to由于yóu yú opens the reason; the result follows.

due to由于yóu yú + Reason，…

• due to由于yóu yú states the cause up front (formal register).

due to由于yóu yútraffic jam堵车dǔ chē，I我wǒlate迟到chí dào了le。

• due to由于yóu yútraffic jam堵车dǔ chē，I / me我wǒto arrive late迟到chí dào(completed / change)了le = "due to traffic, I was late."

due to由于yóu yú vs because因为yīn wèi

• due to由于yóu yú is more formal; pairs with so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ / therefore因此yīn cǐ. because因为yīn wèi is everyday.

Recap

Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Cause & effect statements.