The future of Road Safety?

[cinek]

As a health and safety professional, my job mainly focuses on improving our own systems and those of our clients.

And in simple words, us, human beings have always been the weakest link in any system.
Whether it comes down to fatigue, emotions or complacency, none of the machines suffer from those.

Yes, human free environment isnt exactly fault free, but from my experience, that only happens due to programming error or incorrect application request from the end user

Going back on the topic, improving road safety doesnt lay in lowered speed limits or increased speed traps. It is the mentality that needs to be changed, where the training and experience offered to those who start driving is nowhere near the level it should be.

 

[mercgames]

I wonder how many accidents (near misses) are caused by specs/sunglasses with the wide arms, designer or otherwise. It beats me how folk cope when peripheral vision is compromised by what i liken to taping two lolly sticks to the side of your head!!

 

[markjay]

It just occurred to me - watching a couple of new car commercials focusing on the onboard computer/satbav/entertainment system - that soon all cars will have this and yet we do not train new drivers (or old ones) how to use these gadgets safely without getting distracted.

 

[ringway]

It just occurred to me - watching a couple of new car commercials focusing on the onboard computer/satbav/entertainment system - that soon all cars will have this and yet we do not train new drivers (or old ones) how to use these gadgets safely without getting distracted.

I agree.
I'd say it's more of a distraction to input a destination into a satnav that may only be used once or twice a week than it is to select a contact from the memory of a mobile phone that is used many times daily. The same would apply to getting used to a new radio/hi-fi. However, apparantly, it is the conversation whilst driving that is the main cause of distraction and yet talking hands-free is legal?

 

[cinek]

?...whilst driving that is the main cause of distraction and yet talking hands-free is legal?

As much as it legal, it would be used evidential coffin nail, if it was proven that a driver was using it and was involved in a collision at that precise moment.

Hands-free or not, it is a huge distraction and it takes away the focus from where it should be.

 

[brucemillar]

In London and other major cities the fashion for communal driving licenses is on the increase. This where one individual will take the driving test on behalf of others. This is done either for money or to "help out" family members who struggle to pass a driving test. That is very scary.

I do not really accept that cars are as safe they can be. Sounds rather arrogant to assume that. Science & innovation will will always come up with some new thinking.

I do absolutely believe that driver standards are lamentable. Difficult to fix this in our current car market where we crave luxury. In the good old days, cars were to transport you from A. to B. When you got to B. You were happy to get out to get some relief from the vibration, cold, etc.

Now you get from A. to B. without leaving the comfort of your living room. Cocooned in a soundproof luxury booth remote from other travelers who are often seen as a nuisance for invading our bit of road causing us to brake & steer. We recently had some on here advocating the use of headphones whilst driving. That would increase the remoteness from the reality of what we should be doing i.e. Driving. Not relaxing and listening to music. Why not go the full hog. Get some disco lights installed (some already have) maybe a dinner tray that clamps to the steering wheel so you can eat as you listen as you drive.

Alternatively you (we) could go back to basics and focus on driving.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Perhaps what's needed is an advanced version of MB's Attention Assist? This currently compares the driving style throughout a journey and alerts the driver if it changes significantly, indicating probable drowsiness. If instead the system compared the driving style with an optimum profile stored in memory, it could initially alert the driver to the need to take more care and/or receive more training. It could even bring the car to a safe halt if too many parameters were out of set limits.

As long as it wasn't used to limit top speed I'd have no objection, especially if it was able to learn a driver's advanced abilities and adjust the parameters accordingly. In that way it could limit the speed at which corners could be taken when in the hands of a less competent driver for instance.