Monday, December 3, 2012

Help Law Enforcement with Driver Feedback Signs

By Jessi McCafferty


A paper written in 1995 and updated in 1998 by a number of the most curious minds from various universities and academic groups laser-focused on the best way to change drivers' road behaviorâ€"how to stop speeding and impetuous driving, among other issues, and make highways safer.

Driver feedback was a theme that all agreed made a difference in poor driving. Though driver feedback signs were not the total focus, feedback for drivers in other ways was studied and revealed to be very efficient. Law enforcement played a big part, by both pulling over speeders and other violators and issuing alerts, and in a new twist, pulling over drivers who complied with the law and rewarding them.

While it's improbable you should expect road rewards for not ignoring the law anytime soon, the techniques they used simply illustrated how an engaged driverâ€"one receiving feedbackâ€"is a safer driver. That's where traffic calming devices come in.

The report does mention feedback signs in one section. A study was done with signs on 2 roads stuffed with daily commuters that led into Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The number of drivers who went at least 10 km/h over the limit significantly reduced, according to the report. When they added in law enforcement to stop those speeding and offer cautions and info, as well as stops for people that complied to reward them on their good behaviour, the percentage of speeders dropped even more.

When law enforcement and the traffic calming signs were used, the amount of drivers speeding by 10 km/h dropped by virtually halfâ€"48%. And the quantity of those going 20 km/h over posted limits dropped by a striking 64%â€"almost two-thirds.

The report didn't focus just on traffic calming, but other violations like seatbelt using and drunk-driving, also. Feedback was stressed for most issues. TraffiCalm's radar speed display signs offer the kind of feedback for drivers that has been proved effective time and time again.




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