How to reduce road deaths!?
- Thread starter Ex-RoNiN
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Man of Honour
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Proper driving tests with re-tests at set intervals.
Advanced training/skid pan/emergency situation teaching - education is the best way to make people understand what is required.
Everyone should do a year on a motorbike (if practical of course) - teaches you risk assessement and obvservation to a much higher level. Though this may be voided by the 1st two suggestions.
Pedestrianise center towns with plentiful and easy parking facilties on outskirts. (Obviously duing certain hours of day cars should be allowed for deliveries etc...)
No overtaking of trucks on motorways during peak hours - they do this in parts of Europe. Such a good idea.
No HGVs in towns during peak hours. They also do this in parts of Europe.
Set up more mirrors on blind corners or traffic lights.
Improve the quality of the roads.
More police presence on motorways who don't go out to catch people who are a little bit over the speed limit - but use discretion and analyse a person's driving. i.e. enough of a gap. good observant driving. lane discipline, conciencious driving basically.
Instead of slapping on points etc - they should help to re-educate the drivers. Especially young kids.
They should be harsher with lack of insurance too - making it more of a risk to drive uninsured. And maybe have a 2nd tax disc which shows that you are insured as they do in a lot of other countries.
It might be intersting to have a car speed limiter for towns - that as soon as you enter a town you can't go quicker than the speed limit. But as with all electronics it's not fool proof. It might cause problems in case you need to accelerate away from danger - but frankly in town @ 30mph it would be less of an issue.
Advanced training/skid pan/emergency situation teaching - education is the best way to make people understand what is required.
Everyone should do a year on a motorbike (if practical of course) - teaches you risk assessement and obvservation to a much higher level. Though this may be voided by the 1st two suggestions.
Pedestrianise center towns with plentiful and easy parking facilties on outskirts. (Obviously duing certain hours of day cars should be allowed for deliveries etc...)
No overtaking of trucks on motorways during peak hours - they do this in parts of Europe. Such a good idea.
No HGVs in towns during peak hours. They also do this in parts of Europe.
Set up more mirrors on blind corners or traffic lights.
Improve the quality of the roads.
More police presence on motorways who don't go out to catch people who are a little bit over the speed limit - but use discretion and analyse a person's driving. i.e. enough of a gap. good observant driving. lane discipline, conciencious driving basically.
Instead of slapping on points etc - they should help to re-educate the drivers. Especially young kids.
They should be harsher with lack of insurance too - making it more of a risk to drive uninsured. And maybe have a 2nd tax disc which shows that you are insured as they do in a lot of other countries.
It might be intersting to have a car speed limiter for towns - that as soon as you enter a town you can't go quicker than the speed limit. But as with all electronics it's not fool proof. It might cause problems in case you need to accelerate away from danger - but frankly in town @ 30mph it would be less of an issue.
Agree with Freefaller, especially the skid pan training and bike training, whether it be a push bike in a city centre or a real bike. Has made me feel a lot more aware.
I'd like to add an increased police presence, as opposed to speed camera's. I'd swap the traffic wardens for more police. I have noticed less police on the roads since I've been driving, and more cameras leading to me just slowing for speed camera's (and police when they rarely show up).
I'd like to add an increased police presence, as opposed to speed camera's. I'd swap the traffic wardens for more police. I have noticed less police on the roads since I've been driving, and more cameras leading to me just slowing for speed camera's (and police when they rarely show up).
Stick more of our freight on the railways- oh wait, we can't- Beeching axed a sizeable chunk of them. It was an incredibly short sighted move. Already, over the last decade we have seen the 'regenaration' of old rail routes into new commuter lines (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire's 'Robin Hood Line' is one) to attempt to solve congestion problems in urban areas. Nottingham also now has a very modern looking, and very expensive tram network- but wait: the city had an extensive tram system in place from the late 1870's to the 1930's. The lines were ripped up in favour of the bus.
I've digressed a little- after all we're talking about accidents rather than congestion. But in my eyes, the sheer volume of traffic on our road system does absolutely no good. Yes, people are too damn idle to walk, but a sizeable chunk of this traffic is freight- look at the number of articulated trucks on our Motorways and A roads. Freefaller has suggested no HGVs in city and town centres in peak hours, and pedestrianised areas, and I'm sure this would have been more easily achievable had we not been so short sighted in the past about the social effects of mass dependancy on automobiles.
You may have seen that a company is proposing turning old railway lines into roads, by melting down old tyres and constructing the road surface from rubber. I can't see which lines they'll be thinking of using, as so many are in massive states of decay and have been built on. It's never wise to tear up such an infrastructure, as now we're reaping the consequences.
I've digressed a little- after all we're talking about accidents rather than congestion. But in my eyes, the sheer volume of traffic on our road system does absolutely no good. Yes, people are too damn idle to walk, but a sizeable chunk of this traffic is freight- look at the number of articulated trucks on our Motorways and A roads. Freefaller has suggested no HGVs in city and town centres in peak hours, and pedestrianised areas, and I'm sure this would have been more easily achievable had we not been so short sighted in the past about the social effects of mass dependancy on automobiles.
You may have seen that a company is proposing turning old railway lines into roads, by melting down old tyres and constructing the road surface from rubber. I can't see which lines they'll be thinking of using, as so many are in massive states of decay and have been built on. It's never wise to tear up such an infrastructure, as now we're reaping the consequences.
Ex-RoNiN said:Turns out one of the aims of government is to reduce the number of road deaths by 50% until 2010Very ambitious obviously, but what do you think could be done to try and reach this target?
My suggestions:
- build in logic that breaks the car if another car approaches too quickly (like a radar, that helps you break)
- speed control via rfid chips (speed sign limiting the max speed of ** car)
- more airbags
- make city centres car free and replace them with pedestrian presincts/trams
What would you put your money on being most helpful in achieving this target?
get rid of speed cameras. Numerous independent studies have shown that they cause rather than prevent accidents.
I would have all cars mounted with front and rear facing camera's. When you get a tool on the road just hit the record button, send the tape of to the cops and they can decide if they need a talking to or not.
BTW not a serious suggestion just wished I could have done that to the three cars I had the pleasure of being stuck behind. Cue constant flashes of the brake lights
Wish I could have told the silly cow that 2 inches isn't an appropriate gap and the horn and headlights aren't really meant to be constantly used to flash and beep your 'mate' that you are tailgating. Also it appeared that the do not cross lines didn't apply to them...
BTW not a serious suggestion just wished I could have done that to the three cars I had the pleasure of being stuck behind. Cue constant flashes of the brake lights
Wish I could have told the silly cow that 2 inches isn't an appropriate gap and the horn and headlights aren't really meant to be constantly used to flash and beep your 'mate' that you are tailgating. Also it appeared that the do not cross lines didn't apply to them...
The biggest problems on are roads is poor driver attitude.
There is no altruism, its every man (or woman) for themselves.
They all drive round in their own little worlds, so obsessed with getting to where they are going they take stupid risks and don't consider the bigger picture. They block each other off to stop somebody gaining what they see as an advantage.
A lot of people do drive at inappropriate speeds IMO, treating roundabouts as though they are not going to stop or taking stupid risks with overtakes just to gain one car length.
If only people could stop being so aggressive on the roads, and learn to leave gaps, let people out of junctions whilst keeping traffic flowing (accelerator sense anybody?!), and genereally accept that everybody is just trying to get from A to B, I think the roads could be a lot safer.
There is no altruism, its every man (or woman) for themselves.
They all drive round in their own little worlds, so obsessed with getting to where they are going they take stupid risks and don't consider the bigger picture. They block each other off to stop somebody gaining what they see as an advantage.
A lot of people do drive at inappropriate speeds IMO, treating roundabouts as though they are not going to stop or taking stupid risks with overtakes just to gain one car length.
If only people could stop being so aggressive on the roads, and learn to leave gaps, let people out of junctions whilst keeping traffic flowing (accelerator sense anybody?!), and genereally accept that everybody is just trying to get from A to B, I think the roads could be a lot safer.
I think a good way of reducing accidents wouldn't neccisarily be a harder test but a longer more thourough learning period whereby you have to have done so much driving in all conditions (within reason) before you can drive by yourself.
I for one after I passed my test still went out with my parents in all conditions for extra experience as I didn't feel confident by myself. This helped a lot (especially with motorway driving) and moreso than the test itself did (as you only have to drive well once).
Although I agree with most of what freefaller has posted above there is one point that I am only 50% on. Its the point about motorcycle training for everyone. The problem with that is most of the motorcyclists I see on the roads seem to think they own the road weaving in and out of traffic and overtaking when there is no room to overtake. They also seem to think that driving on my wing is ok. I suppose extra training in this situation would help as well.
Another thing is as well how about some sort of training for pedestrians. IE don't walk out in front of a moving vehicle.
Another suggestion would be to reasses all of the speed limits around. a lot of the 30 limits around here don't need to be 30 limits. There is no real reason I can think of why they should be (the areas arn't heavily residential, there are no concealed junctions and the road itself is a main road).
I for one after I passed my test still went out with my parents in all conditions for extra experience as I didn't feel confident by myself. This helped a lot (especially with motorway driving) and moreso than the test itself did (as you only have to drive well once).
Although I agree with most of what freefaller has posted above there is one point that I am only 50% on. Its the point about motorcycle training for everyone. The problem with that is most of the motorcyclists I see on the roads seem to think they own the road weaving in and out of traffic and overtaking when there is no room to overtake. They also seem to think that driving on my wing is ok. I suppose extra training in this situation would help as well.
Another thing is as well how about some sort of training for pedestrians. IE don't walk out in front of a moving vehicle.
Another suggestion would be to reasses all of the speed limits around. a lot of the 30 limits around here don't need to be 30 limits. There is no real reason I can think of why they should be (the areas arn't heavily residential, there are no concealed junctions and the road itself is a main road).
Berger said:
I couldn't tell if you were joking or in fact a true moron. While we're at it, why don't we introduce minimum speed limit of 90mph on all roads
I'm sure you'd have the same opinion to remove speed limits if your son/daughter was sent flying 50 yards down the road due to being hit by a driver doing 60mph in what *used* to be a 30.
To be fair i think removing speed limits etc is just stupid. How many people (innocents) would be killed by these gary boys who can't drive for **** but know how to stick their foot on a pedal. Of course you can do higher speed on motorways (above 70) if the conditions permit etc.
Soldato
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How about people that can actually drive, and more police to catch those that are actually driving dangerously?
And dumping of speed cameras, they do SOD all! I think they should be replaced with cameras that automatically tag cars that are registered as untaxed, unMOT'd or uninsured by anyone, and checked forthwith.
There was quite an interesting article with a high-speed, professional driver from the '70's and 80s who used to be one of the leading early IAM drivers when it was created.
He said that he's never seen an IAM driver who he would classify as an advanced driver in any way, shape, or form and that it stands for nothing.
(please note this isn't my opinion here).
Quite interesting. I'm enrolled on one of his driving courses now after reading that. Maybe that was a cunning piece of advertising there
And dumping of speed cameras, they do SOD all! I think they should be replaced with cameras that automatically tag cars that are registered as untaxed, unMOT'd or uninsured by anyone, and checked forthwith.
There was quite an interesting article with a high-speed, professional driver from the '70's and 80s who used to be one of the leading early IAM drivers when it was created.
He said that he's never seen an IAM driver who he would classify as an advanced driver in any way, shape, or form and that it stands for nothing.
(please note this isn't my opinion here).
Quite interesting. I'm enrolled on one of his driving courses now after reading that. Maybe that was a cunning piece of advertising there
Man of Honour
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oweneades said:
A valid point. However you are not seeing learners - well maybe teenagers on scooters... However I don't think that would be the sort of riding that would be taught. You're taught to ride defensively and not antisocially or selfishly as a lot of bikers do (which gives us bikers a bad reputation
).