Safe Speed Forums

What is road safety?

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I'm writing a piece called 'Road Safety Review'. I'm not sure where it's going yet, but I am sure it needs writing.

In the process I've arrived at the question: What is road safety?.

Giving a formal definition isn't too hard - something like: "The system involving efforts applied to reduce the risk of injury during road use."

But for the purposes of the article, I'm very interested in subjective answers. Please reply with an impression of your first reaction to the question.

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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

A set of rules of engagement and responsibilities for every road user to ensure their passage along or across the highway is as risk free as it can be while maintaining reasonable progress for all.

Put crudely, for most people, road safety is: "Getting there in good time and temper, and in one piece".

No saying this right, merely an attempt at a "populist view"

I'm thinking that a 'populist view' is more representational. Perhaps some would say 'boring' or 'speed cameras' or 'fines and points' or 'the highway code' or even 'getting nicked for driving safely'.

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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

How about:-

"Use of the Public Roads Network that causes minimum risk during journeys to yourself and other road users, regardless of the respective modes of transport."

Or:-

"A little more 'after you, sir' and a little less 'up yours, John'..."

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Aquila



Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat...

"Lollipop Ladies and the Green Cross Code"

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

Hurrah! Yes, folks, we have someone who understood the question.

Thanks JT. Can anyone else remember their first reaction?

edited to add: I'd just like to make it clear that if few understand the question then the responsibility for the failure must lie with the questioner. That's me folks.

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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

...actually, it might equally be:

"pedalling round the school playground doing Cycling Proficiency training"

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CSCP Latin for beginners...
Ticketo ergo sum : I scam therefore I am!

A contradiction in terms?

Seriously though, my first thought was the Green Cross Code man.

Second thoughts were about a set of rules and behaviours to enable what could be an inherently dangerous system to function without causing injury (or discomfort, seen elsewhere on these fora).

What is safety? According to my handy dictionary (that is, the dictionary that is close to hand as opposed to one that I wrote, or anything like that) it is "The quality or state of being free from danger". I think the behaviours of all road users that enable this state for all road users pretty much covers it for me.

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COAST Not just somewhere to keep a beach.

A young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.

My first reaction: "Staying alert", closely followed by, "This country needs lerts"

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Will

The usual form of the joke is:

Be alert! - your country needs lerts

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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

well i went .. errr.. having safe roads ?

and then noticed the kneejerk answer didnt mention cars.. or speed

It’s the heart of sensible road use by all.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

My first thought was "Being able to get from A to B safely and in comfort".

I then thought whether "comfort" was appropriate to include, but I think it is, as many peoples fears of the road are mismatched with the reality. Its like the whole crime/fear of crime thing. People need to feel they can make a journey safely - whether is is on foot, by car, or by bike, not just have statistics. Think how many people are scared of motorways, when they are the safest of our roads.

I have no idea whether that is useful, or ideed whether is what your getting at. But it was my first thought.

FWIW, I would inclined towards something like:-

"A combination of elements that, when applied in a sensible manner, engenders the safe and smooth progress for all road users".

Or something like that.

Ish.

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Simon

yike you people sure have eloquent well formed first thoughts

safe roads

Just posted a quote from IG( in driving stndards in the rain) --believe it says it all , and where the present regime is failing.

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

IMO, road safety is a set of processes and protocols used by stakeholders in the road
system to reduce danger. The need for road safey has increased as cars have become
ubiquitous. Heavy, fast machinery (like cars) and people in proximity create inherently
dangerous conditions that need defined processes to allow them to co-exist relatively
safely.

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I stole this .sig

Courtesy.

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus