Do you think 15mph speedlimits would help reduce accidents?

[WalkleyIan]

Possibly the worst idea I've ever seen. How about teaching people how to cross a road instead of imposing a ridiculous speed limit to protect them from their own stupidity?

 

Research from the Royal Holloway College - University of London 2010

 

 

Primary school children cannot accurately judge the speed of vehicles travelling faster than 20mph, according to a study carried out by researchers at Royal Holloway, University of London.

 

The researchers measured the perceptual acuity of more than 100 children in primary schools, and calculated the speed of approach that they could reliably detect. The results suggest that while adult pedestrians can make accurate judgements for vehicles travelling up to 50mph, those of primary school age become unreliable once the approach speed goes above 20mph, if the car is five seconds away.

 

Professor John Wann, from the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, said: “This is not a matter of children not paying attention, but a problem related to low-level visual detection mechanisms, so even when children are paying very close attention they may fail to detect a fast approaching vehicle.”

 

The researchers are now looking at the potential for using virtual reality systems to make children more aware of the errors that may occur, but Professor Wann stresses that the simplest solution lies in traffic regulation.

 

Professor Wann added: “These findings provide strong evidence that children may make risky crossing judgements when vehicles are travelling at 30 or 40mph. In addition they are more likely to step in front of the faster vehicles, which therefore increases the risk fatality.

[Leather4Less]

People need to watch where they are walking and extract phones from ears sometimes! However that said, I still wouldn't want to drive in to one of them!

 

There was an experiment done in (I think) Sweden, where the road markings, lines and signs were removed. With this, drivers were a lot more cautious and the accident rate for the area really dropped.

[vanner]

People need to watch where they are walking and extract phones from ears sometimes! However that said, I still wouldn't want to drive in to one of them!

 

There was an experiment done in (I think) Sweden, where the road markings, lines and signs were removed. With this, drivers were a lot more cautious and the accident rate for the area really dropped.

 

I believe the point of this particular exercise was to get pedestrians to take responsibility for their own safety as regards getting from one side of a road to the other.

Safely.

In other words looking both ways before crossing. I was driving yesterday from Brook Hill Island onto Upper Hanover. As the lights changed and the traffic set off, the lights had been on green for a few seconds by this time, A student? ran in front of both lines of traffic which had already set off. I was in the lane nearest to the central carriageway. If I had been any slower braking I would have struck him. Both cars set off after the lights had changed to green. You commonly see chinese/asian, usually female, students sauntering onto the crossing paying no attention to anything except I-phones or Mobiles etc. And when the light change, there they are, still meandering away. This happens on all the roads around the Uni/Arts tower sites.

 

It should be explained to young people, as happened when I was a child, that when crossing roads you must pay attention and look both ways.

The responsibility lies with them to negotiate safely across. It shouldn`t be the responsibility of road users to swerve, brake, or take other avoiding action because someone is careless of their own safety.

How many times does one drive along, well inside the speed limit, and see someone just walk out into the road without observing first whether any car is approaching! Old/young, any age.

Anyway, enough.

[Cyclone]

I believe the point of this particular exercise was to get pedestrians to take responsibility for their own safety as regards getting from one side of a road to the other.

Safely.

No, the point was that it made all road users more cautious. Drivers and pedestrians included.

[Bodie]

I can't be bothered to read all of this thread but the title prompts me to say NO! If only, only people would behave correctly there would be no accidents.

 

Stop at red, cross when it's safe travel at the 'limit' and don't pass the lorry in front to save 3 seconds!

 

Set off for work 5 or 10 minutes earlier and enjoy the journey. I'm a lorry driver and cover the Country. Twice a day I am stuck in rush hour traffic am & pm. I have to be somewhere all the time because customers dictate it. My shift can be from 04:30 to 19:30 time is of the essence. drive correctly and according to the highway code and accidents will halve. I see see many every day.