The definitive Road Safety thread
Discussion
I'm interested to hear other members views on overall and specific measures that can improve road safety.
The death toll on UK roads is still very high despite successes in reducing it from the 1950's. There were more people killed on UK roads than were killed in the whole world by plane crashes.
There are very few families who don't know of some friend or relative who has been killed in a road accident.
But what can be done?
I'll start with a list of items I'd like to see implemented.
- A raising of the legal age to drive to 18 or possibly 19.
- Comprehensive programme of road widening.
- Pedestrian footpaths on all urban roads and all major non-urban roads (behind hedges if necessary).
- More barriers to segregate pedestrians from cars in areas with lots of pedestrians.
- Removal of armco barriers and replacement with concrete barriers.
- Removal of roadside obstructions (lamposts, signs, traffic lights etc) to side of hedges, walls or overhead gantries. In other words, not having them at kerbside.
- Introduction of crash barriers on all dual carriageways between carriageways and at the side of the road.
- Provision of more, smaller motorway stopping places - perhaps just a small car park and some vending machines. Helps to alleviate tired driving.
Anybody else with ideas.
The death toll on UK roads is still very high despite successes in reducing it from the 1950's. There were more people killed on UK roads than were killed in the whole world by plane crashes.
There are very few families who don't know of some friend or relative who has been killed in a road accident.
But what can be done?
I'll start with a list of items I'd like to see implemented.
- A raising of the legal age to drive to 18 or possibly 19.
- Comprehensive programme of road widening.
- Pedestrian footpaths on all urban roads and all major non-urban roads (behind hedges if necessary).
- More barriers to segregate pedestrians from cars in areas with lots of pedestrians.
- Removal of armco barriers and replacement with concrete barriers.
- Removal of roadside obstructions (lamposts, signs, traffic lights etc) to side of hedges, walls or overhead gantries. In other words, not having them at kerbside.
- Introduction of crash barriers on all dual carriageways between carriageways and at the side of the road.
- Provision of more, smaller motorway stopping places - perhaps just a small car park and some vending machines. Helps to alleviate tired driving.
Anybody else with ideas.
A programme of education for Road Engineers in how to design roads that can be travelled on at speed in safety - we must safeguard our economy at the same time.
Also - any road identified as an accident blackspot should require the authority to be legally obliged to re-engineer the road so that it can be travelled on at speed in safety. (No limit change, no camera - engineering, straightening).
Driving in such a manner as to endanger others (must be identifiable who) on the public road should be the main offence poor drivers are prosecuted for.
Also - any road identified as an accident blackspot should require the authority to be legally obliged to re-engineer the road so that it can be travelled on at speed in safety. (No limit change, no camera - engineering, straightening).
Driving in such a manner as to endanger others (must be identifiable who) on the public road should be the main offence poor drivers are prosecuted for.
No need to change the driving age to 18. It would make no differance as youngsters cant afford to drive anyway.
They should concentrate on teaching people to drive. I have been driving for about 7 years, nobody has really taught me anything apart from how to pass the test.
Older drivers should have to take refresher courses.
Every accident is down to user error.
Speed doesnt kill, crap drivers do!
They should concentrate on teaching people to drive. I have been driving for about 7 years, nobody has really taught me anything apart from how to pass the test.
Older drivers should have to take refresher courses.
Every accident is down to user error.
Speed doesnt kill, crap drivers do!
I think driver's ed(ucation) like they have in the States would be a good start. Show a few 14-year olds the full colour consequences of a serious crash & with any luck they'll all be too scared to get in a car & clog up the roads for the rest of us!! 
Also; have a maximum number of attempts at the test, after the final attempt, you need to have some kind of special training, 'cos at the end of the day, if you can't pass after 3 or 4 attempts (personally I think it should be 1), there's obviously a numpty inside of you struggling to get out!! (from a passed-1st timer and proud of it!!)
>> Edited by centurion07 on Friday 10th October 10:55
Also; have a maximum number of attempts at the test, after the final attempt, you need to have some kind of special training, 'cos at the end of the day, if you can't pass after 3 or 4 attempts (personally I think it should be 1), there's obviously a numpty inside of you struggling to get out!! (from a passed-1st timer and proud of it!!)
>> Edited by centurion07 on Friday 10th October 10:55
I'll second that. I think the best and ONLY way to effectively reduce the number of deaths on our roads is to make it compulsory for everyone to pass a course in advanced driving. The driver is to blame in most accidents. There is a girl where I work who drives 30mph everywhere, regardless. She will not drive at night or on a road that she doesnt know if she is alone in the car. She most certainly never ventures onto the motorway. I've been a passenger in her car and it was horrible-you can imagine how bad/inconsiderate/down right dangerous her driving is. These drivers who lack basic skills and confidence need further training before more people get hurt!
Also I cant believe that in this day and age one can pass a driving test and legally drive on our roads without having been anywhere near a motorway? Why is this? In the past there were not many motorways, but now I expect most journeys of considerable distance will use motorways.
Also I cant believe that in this day and age one can pass a driving test and legally drive on our roads without having been anywhere near a motorway? Why is this? In the past there were not many motorways, but now I expect most journeys of considerable distance will use motorways.
M@H said:
Oyster.. I can't believe you don't list a single thing to actually improve the abysmal standard of driving displayed in this country.. !!!???
Matt.
I quite agree that the driving standards are to blame for many (possibly the majority) of fatal crashes. However I am trying to broaden the debate.
I am sick of hearing both sides of the argument slug it out with each other. One side blaming numpty this and numpty that. The other side blaming anyone who ventures 1mph above speed limits.
There are 2 fundamental ways of reducing road deaths and injuries.
1. Reduce the occurence of accidents.
2. Reduce the consequences of accidents.
It has to be driver awareness/training AS WELL AS road/car/engineering improvement to achieve both of these.
joust said:
Why is ARMCO less safe than concrete barriers? I can see the issue with lorries ploughing straight through it, but ARMCO is used in lots of places where concrete would be a liability (like on 90 degree right hander - armco gives, concrete doesn't!)
J
Even on a 90 degree turn, a vehicle would very rarely hit the barrier square on. But yes if there is a chance of a more head on impact then armco still has a place.
You are correct in that what point is there having a barrier if many vehicles will just plough stright through it.
oyster said:
It has to be driver awareness/training AS WELL AS road/car/engineering improvement to achieve both of these.
err to a small extent Yes, but if you took a percentage view on accidents created by poor driver awareness/training vs. accidents caused by poor road engineering I reckon it would be about 95% driver error and 5% road engineering.. or less.
Re-working the road system it on a par with tackling the problem with speed cameras. The fundamental over-riding problem is bad driving, solve this and there is significantly less need for Armco.
Cheers
Matt.
Edited to add.. sorry if that sounded like a bit of a rant
>> Edited by M@H on Friday 10th October 11:36
I dont agree with the young driver idea, I was driving at 17 (passed test 1 month after my birthday) and I have never had an accident. Plus I have friends in their thirties who cant drive for shite.
However I think Jay Walking fines should be introduced as all the evidence seems to show that pedestians are largely to blame for their own demise.
However I think Jay Walking fines should be introduced as all the evidence seems to show that pedestians are largely to blame for their own demise.
The single biggest way of reducing the accident rate in this country is by increasing both driver AND pedestrian education.
How many kids these days get taught the Green Cross Code? It wasn't that long ago that I was at school being taught how dangerous the roads are by the local community bobby... why has this stopped?
As has been touched on by a previous post, driving lessons teach you how to pass your test, not how to drive. This has to change. You do not stop being a learner when you pass your test...
How many kids these days get taught the Green Cross Code? It wasn't that long ago that I was at school being taught how dangerous the roads are by the local community bobby... why has this stopped?
As has been touched on by a previous post, driving lessons teach you how to pass your test, not how to drive. This has to change. You do not stop being a learner when you pass your test...
wiggy001 said:
The single biggest way of reducing the accident rate in this country is by increasing both driver AND pedestrian education.
How many kids these days get taught the Green Cross Code? It wasn't that long ago that I was at school being taught how dangerous the roads are by the local community bobby... why has this stopped?
Well we all know one main reason why. The idea of personal responsibility is being washed away in this country. I'm sure many parents are safe in the knowledge that if their kid gets knocked down, most people will blame the driver.
Why spend money teaching road safety to kids, when you can make drivers go slower and slower and make revenue from it?
Rushjob said:Ok - totally accepted - but surely motorbike vs concrete is the worse nightmare? The wires it has to be said on reflection seem a bit mad for bikes (but then they *do* stop 40 tonne artics so as with most engineering things it's a tradeoff about who gets killed and how many - glad I don't have to make that decision) but I've always thought that a biker loosing control and swerving across the carriage way at a significant angle would just die hitting the concrete ones on the M25 - perhaps with Armco you would go over it and slide across the other side.
Ever seen the result of motorcycle vs. Armco, or worse, wire safety fence?
Not nice........
Hobsons choice but I can't see that concrete will be better than Armco overall for everything?
Wasn't that famous japanese GP biker killed because he went through the bales into concrete recently?
J
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff