Safety

Automated Enforcement: Safety or Revenue?

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Red light cameras and other forms of automated traffic law enforcement continue to generate controversy. This week, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said that he is in favor of banning such devices and a bill was introduced in the Colorado legislature to ban photo enforcement. On the other hand, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found strong public support for camera enforcement in cities with such programs. Much of the debate in Iowa and elsewhere stems from disagreement over whether such enforcement enhances traffic safety or merely produces revenue in the form of fines. Privacy is also a big concern and some who object on these grounds also see a very disturbing trend towards privatization of law enforcement. US PIRG released a report in October which outlines some of the pitfalls in privatization, including conflicts of interest, political clout of vendors and possible intrusion in setting transportation policy.

The Guardian discusses cycling safety in London

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Were Cycle Superhighways designed to encourage 'vehicular cycling'?

This week's Guadian Focus Podcast discusses whether or not Boris Johnson's cycling superhighways have really improved cycling for the London area, in light of yet another cycling death. A study from 2010 questions shows that fatality rates did not drop between 1992-2006. Here's a map of cycling accidents in London between 2000 and 2008. Despite Johnson's proclamation fo 2010 being "London's year of cycling," ultimately cycling success will depend on public safety. 

US teens driving less?

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A recent piece in BBC Magazine asks, "Why are US teenagers driving less"? Economic factors, such as the price of fuel, have made driving less attractive than in the past. Teens are more interested in focusing their resources on gadgets.  In a survey to be published later this year, Gartner research found that 46% of participants aged 18-24 would choose internet access over access to their own car. Anee Lutz Fernandez discusses the need for Detroit to ratchet up marketing to teens as attitudes have shifted. The next question is how will this change in perception translate to safety on the roads? The successor to this survey might have the answer. 

Fewer Accidents due to BlackBerry Outage

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Abu Dhabi's English language news publication, The National, reports that the three-day BlackBerry service disruption has coincided with a 20% decline in traffic accidents in Dubai and a 40% decline in Abu Dhabi. 

     "'Absolutely nothing has happened in the past week in terms of killings on the road and we're really glad about that,' Brig Gen Al Harethi said. 'People are slowly starting to realise the dangers of using their phone while driving. The roads became much safer when BlackBerry stopped working.'"

 

 

Friday Seminar - Venky Shankar on Performance Oriented Modeling

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This Friday's TRANSOC seminar features Dr. Venky Shankar, Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University and Visiting Scholar, UC Berkeley, on "Towards a Statistical Basis for Performance Oriented Modeling of Highways - a Safety Perspective."

 

This talk will discuss a strategic approach to the development of a consistent modeling basis for the statistical analysis of highway safety. Barriers to the development of consistent bases will be discussed with respect to the statistical, computational and data considerations. This work is being performed as part of Dr. Shankar's sabbatical visit to UC Berkeley.

 

The Seminar is Friday, October 21, 4:00-5:00, 406 Davis Hall.

Ampelmännchen turns 50.

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Berlin 2007: Ampelmann

50 years ago today, the most iconic traffic light for pedestrian crossings debuted in German Democratic Republic - Ampelmännchen or "Little Traffic Light Man." On this day in 1961, traffic psychologist Karl Peglau introduced the novel design to improve predestrian safety: 

 

In several studies, he concluded that many of the 10,000 traffic deaths between 1955 and 1960 could be attributed to one thing: Pedestrians had to follow the same traffic lights as cars. When it was foggy, the red-yellow-green lights did not offer sufficient orientation for visually impaired pedestrians. According to Peglau, they provided the opposite, and were a safety risk. He estimated the economic damages of this problem in the GDR reached up to 155 million deutsche marks in 1959.

"Clearly distinguishable guiding signals" were meant to address this. A friendly red man with thick, outstretched arms would prompt pedestrians to stop, and a lively green man in mid-stride would denote the appropriate time to walk. Peglau provided personal characteristics in order to "appropriately provoke the desired pedestrian behavior through emotion," giving them pug noses, fingers, ears and mouths.

 

After the Reunification of German, the iconic Ampelmännchen was quickly introduced to West Berlin and continues to be a symbol of the unified city. 

Get Down with Bicycle Safety

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Avid readers know that this week was International Walk to School Day in the USA, part of the Safe Routes to Schools program. Bicycle safety has always been an important component of safe routes to schools, even way back in the 80s. Here's is an old school jam from an after school special circa 1989. You dig?

Word. Though safe bicycling is still important, even for adults. Listen to this rhyme king tell you all about the need for proper illumination. 

Stay safe out there. 

International Walk to School Day and Safe Routes

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Today International Walk to School Day in the USA. Did you know that? You probably did. Everyday can be walk to school day through the work of the Safe Routes to School program, a multidisciplinary coalition with members from transportation, public health, and housing. Their report, Getting Students Active through Safe Routes to School: Policies and Action Steps for Education Policymakers and Professionals, contains information about how schools can implementa a safe routes program and things to consider. The TransForm report, Bringing Safe Routes to Scale, which focuses on the Bay Area. SafeTREC researchers Jill Cooper and Tracy McMillan published a report last year that evaluated 10 low income schools. 

 

Petaluma Going Yellow for Left Turns

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Yesterday the Press Democrat reported on Petaluma replacing the "left on green" signals with flashing yellow lights. 

The city will replace all or some of the protected-permissive signals at 26 intersections throughout town, while allowing a few to remain as is.

Some will include a signal new to California and what may be a first for Sonoma County — the flashing yellow left-turn arrow.

Petaluma Boulevard North at Magnolia Avenue/Payran Street had a “higher than expected collision experience involving left-turning vehicles,” Zimmer said.

In all four directions, the protected-permissive signals will be replaced with protected left-turn phasing, meaning left-turn drivers will see a progression of green, yellow and red arrows.

Then, once the intersection is cleared, a flashing yellow arrow will light, alerting drivers that they may proceed with caution with a left turn when oncoming traffic is clear.

The 2009 MUTCD includes languange about flahsing yellows for left turns (4D.17-4D.20). The topic is also discussed in NCHRP Report 493: Evaluation of Traffic Signal Displays for Protected/Permissive Left-Turn Control. While Petaluma is the first city in California to implement this sort of signal, it has been catching on across the nation. Next year, two different research projects investigating the impacts of flashing yellows on protected left turns should be completed. One is Evaluation of Flashing Yellow Arrows (FYA) for Protected/Permissive Left Turn (PPLT) Control from Bradley University for the Illinois DOT. The other is Field Study of Driver Behavior at Flashing Yellow Arrow vs Green Ball Permitted Left-Turn Indications by CTS of the University of Minnesota for the ITS JPO of RITA. 

 (Hat tip to @thedotreport)

 

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