What if we handle road safety as general safety?

The hierarchy hazard controls is a de facto standard for determining which measures to take in the presence of risks. The principles can be (and I would argue that they should be) applied to road safety.

From the most effective to the least effective measure, we have:

  • Elimination: Avoid road trips. Of course it is rarely possible.

  • Substitution: Replace dangerous vehicles with non-hazardous vehicles. That is, cars should be limited

  • Engineering controls: people are isolated from risks: cycle paths, sidewalks everywhere, speed bumps, raised crossings, narrowing of the roads

  • Administrative controls: speed limits, 30 km/h cities, speed cameras, training courses.

And last and most definitely least:

  • personal protective equipment: they are the least effective, to be used only if there is no possibility of applying other measures: helmets.

Those who push for certain measures do not understand anything about safety, and thus would start from the bottom of the hierarchy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierarchy_of_hazard_controls

crossposted from: https://mastodon.uno/users/rivoluzioneurbanamobilita/statuses/113978193983638459

  • JasonDJ@lemmy.zipEnglish
    10·
    24 hours ago

    Above ground (way above ground) would be easier and cheaper. Like the Texas highways.

    My urban utopia has parking on the edges. Surface streets only permit last-mile deliveries, electric trams, and electric personal vehicles…number of wheels cannot exceed number of passengers in the vehicle plus one (with exceptions for mobility aids) and a top speed of 25MPH. These should be available on short term rentals like Byrd or BlueBikes.

    Mass transit should have stops within a 10 minutes of sidewalk time anywhere in the city.

    Going underground is tough. It’s expensive and there’s tons of unknowns. Evacuation or bringing in resources in an emergency is terrifying. Ventilation is a nightmare.

    Good for subways…but trams are just as good, especially if we can get the pesky cars off the road.