Safe Speed Forums

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_headlin ... _page.html

HIGHWAY STARS
Roads to get a safety rating
By Ruki Sayid, Consumer Editor

ROADS are to be given a star rating so drivers can tell at a glance how dangerous they are.

The safest, most accident-free stretches will be awarded four stars - while black spots will get just one or even zero stars.

More than 11,000 miles of UK motorways, major roads and country lanes are being analysed and graded by experts.

Roads will win stars for having few headon crashes or for giving drivers a good line of sight as they turn right out of junctions.

Other plus points include having bollards or lines which prevent cars overtaking on single lane carriageways or safety measures to ensure drivers who lose control of their cars are not at risk of hitting trees or posts.

Further stars will go to roads that use barriers to stop cars from rolling down steep embankments following an accident.

Once the grading is finished the star ratings will go on maps and roadside signs.

The Road Protection Scoring scheme has been devised by the European Road Assessment Programme and backed by the AA and the Highways Agency.

The AA's Bert Morris said: "The scheme sets the benchmark at the level of average drivers who follow the rules of the road but make mistakes, perhaps because of bad weather or not knowing the route.

"RPS shows how well a road will forgive or how badly it will punish an ordinary driver's error. The primary function is not to safeguard those who go hell for leather."

The system is designed to run on similar lines to the European scheme that gives cars a star rating for safety features.

It has been credited with sparking a massive improvement in car safety - and the AA hopes there will now be a similar result on roads.

Mr Morris said: "Consumers won't buy a one-star car. Now RPS will encourage authorities to upgrade safety on persistently lethal roads." Road safety campaigners welcomed the scheme but warned drivers could abuse it. Paul Smith of Safe Speed said: "It's possible some could think because the danger on a certain road is low, they can drive in a riskier way."

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That's not an accurate representation of what I said. I did say it was possible, but I also said it was unlikely and probably insignificant.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

In principle it is a good idea, you cannot fix any thing if you don't measure it and prove it has improved. Funding should be spent in the right places, a lot of cash is spent where the councilors shout loudest rather than the trickiest junctions or bends.

My fear it will just be an excuse to lower more and more limits.
Accidents down to stolen cars and drunk drivers and pedestrians need to be removed from the stats before the road is assessed.

_________________
Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

As I mentioned elsewhere, I think this is a brilliant idea, and could be taken even further to give drivers an idea of what sorts of hazards were most likely for a given stretch.

Councils could also be given targets for improving roads to raise star levels, a return to engineering in safety, rather than scameraing it. As mentioned though, study would have to be done into what exactly would make the road safer, and what just seems like a good idea but isn't!

I do hope that they meant to say:

I like it in principle, particularly the idea that we could measure council performnace with the proportion of safe roads etc.....but we need to beware of the quick fixes.

To paraphrase Demming 'you tell me how you will measure me, then I will tell you how I will perform'.

What a load of cobblers. If it turns out anything like the provision of cycle lanes it will be nothing more than an excuse to spend another load of our money with very little benefit.

I tell you, the machinery of government, in its various forms and agencies, is getting grossly oversized and too complex, and I don't think we can afford it.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

no, I'm sure they meant exactly what they said and if this goes through then that will be the quick "fix" to get the ratings up and "meet the targets". All over Devon & Cornwall there's nice straight, wide roads with solid lines down the centre. Frustrating doesn't come close to describing it.

More gimmicks that are useless unless people know why the roads are unsafe in the first place. Investing the money into driver training might be a good start.

Surely this will just lead to drivers ignoring them and overtaking anyway, over use will remove their effectiveness.

The star rating is an interesting idea however roads already have junction, sharp bend, slippery surface and etc. warning signs. Drivers should be educated into perceiving and acknowledging potential hazards themselves.

Perhaps all cars should have stars attached to the front and rear and sides which reflect the drivers ability allowing other drivers to predict how likely they are to do something dangerous/stupid.