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October 3, 2006
Engineering Safer Drivers
Hat tip to reader Anne McLaughlin who forwards a couple of links about things that make streets safer by influencing driver behavior.
We've discussed here before the interesting fact that serious bicycle accidents have remained relatively constant here in Portland at the same time that the amount of cycling is increasing sharply. This study suggests that drivers seem to change their behavior as they encounter increasing numbers of cyclists and pedestrians.
Another study suggests that trees and other street furniture also seem to cause drivers to adjust their behavior in ways that reduce crashes.
Posted by Chris Smith at 12:00 AM
Comments
October 3, 2006 1:29 PM
Adron Says:
Then of course, drivers could be trained too. Another key factor that NEEDS to be implemented at some point anyway. To few people have even the slightest clue about what they are doing, the dynamics of car control, speed variation, impact speeds, and all the other items...
Generally current drivers understand two things:
1. Gas == Go
2. Brake == Stop.
As for redesigning roads and such, that is a very good and effective solution but at the same time, it is merely a band aid on the actual problem. Same category as speeding tickets and such enforcement. At the end of the day, the problem has only been altered slightly, and is in no way resolved.
