Road safety ...a few suggestions:

peasant

Having written myself into a bit of a rage in another thread, here are some (hopefully) constructive pointers for the road safety authority.


1) The RSA will establish a centralised statistics office, where all accidents are logged, thereby identifying accident black spots

2) The RSA will establish a proper accident investigation unit. Somebody needs to find out WHY and HOW accidents actually happen.

3) The RSA will take over the responsibility to establish localised speed limits from dithering and incapable county councils (i.e all of them), taking into account the facts gained from points 1) and 2). It will also have to be consulted on any new road construction or alteration of existing roads.

4) Known dangerous stretches of roads / accident black spots will get a reduced and appropriate speed limit. Where there also is high traffic volume a well marked and signposted speed camera will be erected.

5) Known safe stretches of good road will get the "normal" speed limit. This will mean some of the pointless speed limits on main arteries will be raised, thus improving the flow of traffic.

6) The NCT checking criteria will have to be re-examined for so far unchecked safety issues. For example: non fitting tyre/wheel / aligment combinations; tinted or coloured lights / rear lights; non (manufacturer) approved engine/suspension/break modifications; tow bars without electrical connectors; tow bars without type approval

7) All trailers without working electrical connection / fitments will be made illegal and confiscated on the spot

8) All unbraked trailers above a certain weight will be made illegal

9) All vehicle papers will state the allowed towing weight (braked/unbraked) for the respective vehicle

10) No insurance without NCT

11) No tax without NCT and insurance

12) It will be made illegal for construction machinery (diggers, backhoes, Telehandlers) or forklifts to use public roads.

13) On the spot weighing and safety checks for HGV's and vans will be introduced

14) Commercial vehicles will fall under the same NCT checks as all other vehicles ...only on an annual basis. Taxis, hackneys and buses will be checked every six months.

15) Bullbars and A-bars to be banned

16) Every (non motorway) road in the country will get a combined cycle lane / footpath on at least one side (as long as the houses alongside it are not spaced more than 1 kilometer apart)




Any further suggestions / additions to any of the points?

saobh_ie

peasant wrote:

12) It will be made illegal for construction machinery (diggers, backhoes, Telehandlers) or forklifts to use public roads.

16) Every (non motorway) road in the country will get a combined cycle lane / footpath on at least one side (as long as the houses alongside it are not spaced more than 1 kilometer apart)

I don't get the construction machinery one, are people being slaughtered by JCB's on the roads? You probaly haven't considered that if machinery can't drive off site (they're all road legal) that they'll have to be trucked around the country and up the road 200 yards at great expense. Contractors will therefore need to buy more machines because it won't be practical to bounce them from site to site any more, at great expense.

Not only will that increase the volume of trucks on the road it'll also mean they'll spend a lot of time parked in the road blocking it up.

As for combined footpaths and cycle lines. It's not really best practise for pedestrains and cyclists to mix. It's safer for them both for the bikes to be on the road. And can you imagine the cost of putting them in?

All of your other points have some merit though. =]

MrSinn

enforce laws that state provisional licence drivers are accompanyied by a fully QUALIFIED driver

peasant

saobh_ie wrote:

I don't get the construction machinery one, are people being slaughtered by JCB's on the roads? You probaly haven't considered that if machinery can't drive off site (they're all road legal) that they'll have to be trucked around the country and up the road 200 yards at great expense. Contractors will therefore need to buy more machines because it won't be practical to bounce them from site to site any more, at great expense.

Not only will that increase the volume of trucks on the road it'll also mean they'll spend a lot of time parked in the road blocking it up.

As for combined footpaths and cycle lines. It's not really best practise for pedestrains and cyclists to mix. It's safer for them both for the bikes to be on the road. And can you imagine the cost of putting them in?

All of your other points have some merit though. =]

I would concede somewhat on the construction equipment ...but they would at least have to be unladen (i.e without poles and planks sticking out everywhere), all attachments removed or made not to protrude and fitted with a yellow surround warning light ...and all the lights and indicators would have to be working of course ...on close inspection it would probably be easier to just ban them altogether

As for footpaths / cyclepaths: I'm a culchie. I live along a well populated "R" road. I cannot visit any neighbours or go to the pub without using my car. The road simply is too narrow and dangerous for pedestrians or cyclists.

There are thousands of roads like this ...putting in a combined footpath/cyclelane could signifcantly decrease traffic as people would actually DARE walk or cycle.

On busier roads walkers and cyclist obviously would have to be separated ...one on either side.

During winter time (when its a lot darker) not one week goes by whithout news of yet another pedestrian having been mowed down on a country road ...how much does that "cost" ?

RobAMerc

I think Number 1 should be.

MAKE PEOPLE LEARN TO DRIVE.

A proper test/learning setup should be put in place where the a learner needs to do a set number of situational lessons before being allowed to do the test or drive on the road at all.

crosstownk

RobAMerc wrote:

I think Number 1 should be.

MAKE PEOPLE LEARN TO DRIVE.

Hear, Hear.

I'd like to see an advertising campaign (TV, Radio, Newspapers, etc.) designed to educate drivers on how to use a motorway PROPERLY - How to merge, what lanes are for, how to indicate correctly etc etc ad nauseum) Learner drivers should be given some tuition on motorway driving and the driving test should encompass motorway situations.

peasant

emmm ...

In order to force people to take lessons and a test first before they're allowed out on the road (I'm all for it) there is another essential ingredient missing:

Establish a standard for driving instructors and test, approve and re-test them on a regular basis.

Only approved instructors may take on clients.

kluivert

saobh_ie wrote:

I don't get the construction machinery one, are people being slaughtered by JCB's on the roads?

All of your other points have some merit though. =]

I was runned off the road by an earth mover on a bend one day, the thing was so big it took up half of my side of the road, rang the developer and he paid for my repairs. Not much busted tyre and new wish bone and shocks.

Its already illegal for construction machinery to be on roads.

prospect

Good points. Here are some of my suggestions.

The backbone to the safety issue is, (in no particular order)

1. Proper driver education, to include driving in the wet, in the dark, on motorways etc.

2. Proper testing, as above i.e. much more comprehensive than the current test. Also, introduce a probationary period of 12 months after the test is passed. You have a Green 'L' plate. At the end of this period you do another test and get a full license. If you break any road rules during the probationary period, you go back to square one.

3. Proper enforcement. Triple the number of Gardaí in the Traffic Corps. Constant 24hour prescence on the roads. An I mena all roads, major and minor. Zero tolerance.

4. Proper roads. A lot of the problem is poor road surfaces & dirty road surfaces. There is no kerbing on nearly all back and country roads. Potholes and bumps everywhere. Signs are covered in muck and overgrown by hedges. Road markings are non-existant, worn or filthy.
All Primary & secondary roads should have propper kerbing, side and central cats-eyes, proper line markings, clean and visable signs, and a foothpath/cycle path on at least one side (as stated above). Also, there should be a hard shoulder, and an overtaking oppertunity at least every 5kms. There should be adequate lighting at every junction.

Alun

crosstownk wrote:

Learner drivers should be given some tuition on motorway driving and the driving test should encompass motorway situations.

Well there are enough motorway quality dual-carriageways around, which L-drivers can legally drive on, which would provide the necessary practice, so that's not an insurmountable problem.

Silvera

I agree with most of the original points, and all of prospect's points.

Another one to add to the list -

- Make all work vehicles (tractors, JCBs etc) display a rear warning triangle sign (Slow Vehicle Ahead) as in the U.S. and some EU countries. Many tractor trailers look like lorries from behind. Plus orange beacons flashing to be compulsory on public roads for slow vehicles.

Litcagral

kluivert wrote:

Its already illegal for construction machinery to be on roads.

Not illegal if the owner has got a permit AFAIK.

maidhc

Silvera wrote:

- Make all work vehicles (tractors, JCBs etc) display a rear warning triangle sign (Slow Vehicle Ahead) as in the U.S. and some EU countries. Many tractor trailers look like lorries from behind. Plus orange beacons flashing to be compulsory on public roads for slow vehicles.

I agree, SMV signs should be compulsory, but banning such slow moving vehicles from the roads is silly and pointless.

You do not need a permit to drive construction or farm machinery, just a normal (provisional) driving licence; I certainly dont have one for my Ford digger. As a result a 16yo can drive a Combine harverster on the road unaccompanied, or a JCB fastrack capable of over 50mph (when unrestricted!) but not a nissan micra.

Silvera

And a 16 year old on a provisional licence can drive a large tractor with TWO large trailers attached ! :eek:

SMV sign -

Silvera

.........and to encourage safe driving, there should be billboard signs put up around the country with messages on them reminding drivers to, e.g -

- DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE

- KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM VEHICLE IN FRONT
(I saw this message advertised (UK govt ad) on the back of a UK tanker truck yeaterday at the Red Cow .....now theres a bit of lateral thinking for ya!)

- USE DIPPED HEADLIGHTS IN POOR LIGHT CONDITIONS

etc etc etc

All with a relevant background picture.

Lord Nikon

peasant wrote:

10) No insurance without NCT

11) No tax without NCT and insurance

Some problems may arise here... How do you get to the NCT centre without car-insurance?

Number 11 was changed due to the fact that people were getting fined for having no tax, while waiting for the NCT. I was one of these people, and it was unfair that I could not tax my car.

maidhc

Silvera wrote:

Plus orange beacons flashing to be compulsory on public roads for slow vehicles.

It is actually ILLEGAL to fit them to agricultrual tractors! Farmers and builders have been crying out for their legalisation for years, but no.

Isn't it strange that despite being told what to, Cullen still prefers attention grabbing PR?:

www.farmerjournal.ie wrote:

A year ago the FTMTA proposed a three-pronged approach to improving safety on public roads where farm machines are involved.

1. Regulations to ensure that those driving tractor and trailer combinations with a gross train weight of more than 12 tonnes should be over 18 years of age and have a full driving licence.

2. The FTMTA proposed that all trailed equipment, over 5 tonnes laden weight, when pulled behind a tractor at speeds up to 40km/hr should be fitted with a 40km/hr sticker, in addition to a service brake, parking brake and breakaway brake.

3. That legislation to allow for the fitment and use of flashing beacons on agricultural tractors be immediately brought forward into law. This should include a code of practice for their use. This legislation has been pending on the statute books since 2000.

Silvera

The sad reality is that there is no real interest in govt circles in tackling the road carnage/safety problem!:mad:

I blame Bertie .....all such major initiatives must 'start at the top'!

bp_me

crosstownk wrote:

Learner drivers should be given some tuition on motorway driving and the driving test should encompass motorway situations.

Something like this always seems to come up when talking about road safety, and while it is a valid point, I for one would not drive 2 and a half hours (each way) to drive on a bit of road with a slightly higher speed limit and a few slip roads.

People seem to forget that there is no motorways in most counties in the country.

Alun

... and a few slip roads.

Well, speaking personally, if a few more people actually learned how to use these "few slip roads" properly, it'd make my life, and everyone else's, a lot easier. That and the old lane discipline bit as well.

Victor

So tell these people:

National Safety Council,
4 Northbrook Road,
Ranelagh,
Dublin,
Ireland.

Tel: +353 1 496 3422
Fax: +353 1 496 3306
Locall: 1890 200 844
Email: info@nsc.ie

Alfasudcrazy

Silvera wrote:

The sad reality is that there is no real interest in govt circles in tackling the road carnage/safety problem!:mad:

I blame Bertie .....all such major initiatives must 'start at the top'!

I agree - there are no votes to be gained in road traffic law enforcement. Its mainly just a PR and paper exercise. I know one TD who happens to be government minister who appointed a judge covering his constituency (among others) solely on the basis that he would convict no one for anything if at all possible. :rolleyes:

Victor

Alfasudcrazy wrote:

I agree - there are no votes to be gained in road traffic law enforcement.

There are votes in lower car insurance.