Low Speed Tolerance Could Increase Crashes - Study

[Wats_in_a_name]

For my money a low speed tolerance does nothing for road safety. It's an extra thing to worry about rather than concentrating on the road and worrying about all the idiots out there. It would not surprised me if it could lead to an increase in crashes. Mind you I blame the politicians not the cops. I reckon they're trying to look like they're doing something rather than actually addressing real safety issues. They should start with getting serious about getting repeat offenders such as unlicensed drivers off the road. I think that also applies to repeat offenders for other criminal acts as well. I seem to be hearing a lot about someone being arrested and hearing that they are out on bail (eg Apex gang in Melbourne) or have a prior record. I wonder whether some in the courts perhaps need to lift their game as well.

 

[Immortality]

I'm fairly damn sure the low speeding tolerance thing was the cops rather than a political decision.

Restricted drivers here in NZ have no limitations on what they can drive, testing and training is lacking in consistency.

Fact is cops have been caught out with having ticket quotas, easiest way to get said quotas is speeding and other pathetic vehicle related infringements.

There is a case here in NZ where a repeat drunk driver has requested one of those car alcohol lock testing things be fitted to his car as he wants to change his way yet the courts won't do it. IT seems to me the system is broke.

TBH, if the politicians listened to the public and changed the laws on the use of dope then it would be amazing how much time the cops would have to spare on sorting out real issues.

 

[c2105026]

My view is that willful and negligent speeding does increase crash risk (coz physics) and as such should be targeted.
You will often find a change in attitude in drivers after they get a ticket, they tend to take things easier for the next little bit if they've been a lunatic and just lost half their points with a big fine.

However - I doubt the value of low level enforcement. The movement in road safety circles is based on a MUARC study in 1997 that showed an 11th power relationship between speed and crash risk. Now as an engineer and mathematician, I take issue with this - I debunked the report as part of a final year university assignment when I did civil engineering.

Firstly the computer modelling used in the crash reconstruction was from the 70s - very archaic. It was American too. I dare say a typical 1970s American car would perform and crumple differently compared to a typical 90s Aussie car.

Secondly - for every case (car crash that was investigated) only four control vehicle speeds were mentioned. To have any meaningful control data you should have 15, perhaps 40.

Thirdly - all crash sites were treated the same. No consideration given to sight distance or road surface variations (i.e. spray seal versus hot mix). No consideration was given to individual driver skill or reaction time.

Lastly - 68-71% of the crashes were ultimately caused by a vehicle that failed to yield right of way.

When was the last campaign you saw about obeying lights, stop signs and giveway signs?

Ultimately, the relationship between crash risk and speed is 4th power at the most, worked out mathematically based on the principles of risk management.

 

[Immortality]

Damn, what a great response

I totally agree, driver attention is as more important as any other factor but it's totally ignored by the powers that be simply because it's not measurable and therefor not able to be subject to fines.

I've seen accident investigations where road surface/traction was measured by a cop car doing emergency stops to measure the distance it slides (they must have been disabling the ABS systems to perform such tests) even though the vehicle that crashed was a small front wheel drive vehicle......

 

[c2105026]

Damn, what a great response

I totally agree, driver attention is as more important as any other factor but it's totally ignored by the powers that be simply because it's not measurable and therefor not able to be subject to fines.

I've seen accident investigations where road surface/traction was measured by a cop car doing emergency stops to measure the distance it slides (they must have been disabling the ABS systems to perform such tests) even though the vehicle that crashed was a small front wheel drive vehicle......

During 2005-2006 I worked a 6 month placement with Road Safety Strategy with the NSW RTA. One of the programs they were looking at was quelling the upward trend of motorcycle crashes on the Old Pacific Highway. As a graduate civil engineer I was working with Road Environment Safety branch. So we were brainstorming ideas at a meeting. Here is how it went:

"Ok so whats causing these crashes"
"Speed"
"Alcohol"
"Fatigue"
Me: "Inattention"
"We've got fatigue"
Me:"No, I mean, not concentrating, having your mind on the job"
"Yeh that's fatigue"
Me: *ROLLS EYES*

Saw some very interesting stats too about what speeds vehicles were travelling with fatal crashes (80% of the time the stated speed in the police report was the speed limit - presumably because the police were too ******* lazy to investigate further). One crash report suggested that a car travelling at 70 in a 110 zone on a very mild highway bend (radius = 800m) (albeit in the wet) was going 'too fast for the conditions' and was 'speeding'. Bullshit.

Next I'll tell you what popular SUV failed its ANCAP test in a late 2005 crash test, but got re-tested as a mulligan to please the manufacturer....

And of the original batch of speed cameras (installed 1999), what percentage of sites saw an increase in crashes. This figure was left out of the report that was released to the public.

 

[Immortality]

So in the last couple of days the NZ road toll (deaths) has surpassed last years number and we still have 2 months to go. Today the police squarely blamed drivers for the increasing road toll.....

I await with bated breath what the new enforcement criteria will be!

 

[Nitro_X]

The more our populations grow, the bigger and more bloated our governments and their bureaucracies become, the more complex our societies also become, with ever expanding growth of rules, regulations and laws...while we are advancing in terms of our technology, science and engineering, when it comes to basic common sense, personal responsibility and ethics, we seem to be going backwards!
WTF?

.

 

[Nitro_X]

There's been a lot of talk recently about technology, AI and automation taking jobs away from humans.
When we have fully self driving vehicles, which is probably only about 20 years away, our cops and politicians will need to create a whole bunch of new rules, regulations and laws to justify their existence! Traffic cops won't be needed anymore.

.

 

[lmoengnr]

when it comes to basic common sense, personal responsibility and ethics, we seem to be going backwards!

'Common sense' has been legislated out of existence.....

 

[commodore665]

So in the last couple of days the NZ road toll (deaths) has surpassed last years number and we still have 2 months to go. Today the police squarely blamed drivers for the increasing road toll.....

I await with bated breath what the new enforcement criteria will be!

Improving driver education would be a start , New Zealand drivers are shockers