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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Shared space: the final frontier</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1100160</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The slow uptake of the concept of shared space in the UK is discussed. Policy has tended to favour clear demarcation of the highway for vehicles and footways for pedestrians so that it is clear where responsibility lies in the event of an accident. Road engineers in particular have been reluctant to embrace the concept of shared space. Instead there has been a tendency to restrict parking to keep traffic flowing at the expense of town centres and village shops. Public support for shared spaces is also often lacking. The development of shared spaces in Kensington and Chelsea in London is described and the UK Department for Transport is currently revising its street design guidance to include shared space.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:56:17 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>All things bright and debatable</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1099687</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Daytime running lights have been introduced as a safety by vehicle manufacturers and the use of lights in the daytime has been made mandatory in some countries. However on the basis of an increase in the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads of 6-12%, other countries have rescinded the legislation. It is suggested that increasing the conspicuity of cars will render pedestrians and cyclists less visible and more vulnerable to 'looked but did not see' accidents. Evidence from opthalmologists of the effects of glare or over-bright light sources supporting this contention is presented. Xenon headlamps are considered a particular problem, especially when retrofitted to vehicles not originally designed for them, or when incorrectly adjusted. The campaign to prevent the legislation introducing daytime running lights in the UK is outlined.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 Apr 2011 14:20:59 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1099687</guid>
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      <title>Damned statistics</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/981080</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The extent of the inaccuracies in the 2008 road casualty figures and the implications this has for casualty reduction targets is discussed.  The total number of casualties recorded was 230,905 but the actual figure, when information from hospital sources and insurance claims are considered, is estimated to be in the region of 800,000.  The STATS 19 figures currently used are detailed and consistent but lack information concerning certain types of injury.  The type of information provided by insurance claims and Hospital Episodes Statistics and the drawbacks of each source are considered.  It is suggested that the inaccuracy of the figures has made the government's 10 year targets, based on these figures, meaningless.  The possibility of combining the three main sources of figures is considered to be impractical due to the investment that would be required.  The recommendation is made that statistics from A & E and other health service facilities should be used in a more defined way to produce casualty statistics.  More detailed information on the circumstances of accidents could be based on STATS 19 data, which is considered invaluable, and described as a survey rather than a statistic.  Discrepancies in cycle accident reporting in particular are noted.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:05:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/981080</guid>
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      <title>Crash Magnet</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/907220</link>
      <description><![CDATA[When analysis of industrial accidents first started, results suggested some people were accident prone. This notion fell into disrepute in the mid-twentieth century and traffic researchers concluded that crashes must be random events and not due to any particular personal attribute of the driver. The author explains how recent research suggests this may not in fact be the case and looks at how defects in the initial research may have contributed to false conclusions. Recent studies suggest crash proneness is in fact a characteristic of certain drivers in particular situations.  Dismissing crash magnet drivers from the workforce would be one solution; the author also puts forward less draconian solutions such as appropriate driver education and training.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:30:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/907220</guid>
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      <title>Lightmare</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/891908</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Road safety statistics reveal 40 per cent of road traffic collisions take place in the hours of darkness. Reasons are inconclusive though studies on sleep deprivation suggest this is one reason. Decreased visibility and misuse of alcohol or drugs are believed to be other reasons. Perception issues including night driving or driving in low, bright or glaring sunlight are also addressed. Because there is no uniform light at night, adjustments to the intensity of lights all around the driver are constantly required, with adverse weather conditions exacerbating the problem. The issue of variable light intensity is flagged up with the need for car manufacturers to balance brighter lights as a unique selling point against the risk to on-coming vehicles. Safety issues within the vehicle design remit are addressed, including possible alterations to design which may help to improve safety. The authors suggest it is time for change and invite the Government to re-visit the regulations regarding the lighting of vehicles at night.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:32:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/891908</guid>
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      <title>How to read a learner's mind</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/883164</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This new service launched by the Driving Instructors' Association (DIA) will allow instructors to develop personalised training programmes for individual candidates, enabling them to identify areas of strength and weaknesses.  Developed by PeopleMaps, the initiative comes during the Government's current public consultation on 'Learning to Drive'. Because of the current concern over new driver accident statistics, it is hoped this on-line program will influence an improvement in driver training, thereby reducing new driver accident involvement. The program is intended to help instructors assess and then develop appropriately driver attitude to safe and responsible driving. The benefits of psychometric testing have already been proved in professional driving spheres, for instance with bus driver and lorry driver training, leading to significantly reduced accident rates. There is no pass or fail; the process is designed so that trainers know what type of training is required, enabling them to adapt their training programmes accordingly.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:13:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/883164</guid>
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      <title>Safex 2008 Driver Education World Conference London 16-18 May</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/883150</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The focus was on sharing ideas on training methods to reduce the numbers of road accident casualties globally. This article summarises some of the main speakers' presentations (following on from a similar summary in the July/August edition of Driving). Topics covered included evaluation of the Austrian driver education scheme, which has significantly reduced accidents involving young and inexperienced drivers; a description of a project in California, training teenage drivers on simulators; information about UK driver training and testing, including the need to overhaul the current testing and assessment procedures; a description of the large-scale driver education evaluation research going on in North America, highlighting the importance of good evaluation of research projects to identify the level of effectiveness of the various safety programmes in North America; a look at the need for positive behavioural change through driver education in order to increase road safety levels in Ireland; an overview of the attitude of young drivers to safe and responsible driving, looking at ways to encourage them to be more receptive to driver training and road safety teaching; a strategy for driving instructors to use sports coaching techniques which have been proved to help novice drivers particularly with hazard perception; and strategies for improving road safety in the middle east, leading on to global strategies.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:12:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/883150</guid>
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      <title>Safex 2008. Driver Education World Conference, London 16-18 May</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/871441</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article contains abstracts of some of the presentations made at the Safex 2008 conference. Topics covered: include the use of simulation in driver training; driver training in the Netherlands, Israel, Sweden and Denmark; accident prevention in France and Qatar; older drivers; and increased experience of driving for novice drivers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:11:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/871441</guid>
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      <title>This man is not insane - he's calming traffic.</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/868991</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article looks at the work of road safety pioneer extraordinaire, David Engwicht, and his concept of mental speed bumps. He is "against the car reducing the overall vibrancy of neighbourhood life" and wants to help people find a way to balance the need to move about and to have a sense of place.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:08:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/868991</guid>
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      <title>Seconds to danger</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/810023</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The one aspect that prevents a crash from occurring is keeping space around the vehicle. The importance of the two-second rule is emphasised, with reference to the UK Highway Code and DSA driving manuals. Underestimating stopping distance is a major problem among drivers. The correlation between travelling speed and stopping distance is discussed. The driver must be able to see the hazard and his brain must compare the viewed scene with past experience in order to decide what to do. In the Highway Code, this thinking time is given a nominal duration of 0.7 seconds, less than times given in other countries. The third factor is Muscular Reaction Time, the time taken to move the foot from the accelerator to the brake. The variables associated with braking and brake time are discussed: type of wheel, vehicle weight, and road conditions. The two-second rule gives a reaction time and works at all speeds above 6mph with no maximum limit. Below 6mph, the Queuing Distance Rule is used. The two-second rule is for ideal conditions and further time is required for braking in non-ideal conditions. A table is given of the additional time required in non-ideal conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:14:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/810023</guid>
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      <title>Safe as houses?</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/810022</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Improvements in safety features in modern cars have not been accompanied by a fall in casualty statistics. The improved safety of cars is lulling drivers into a false sense of security, making them take more risks. The increase in the strength of the passenger cells in the car is associated with an increase in the size of structural pillars and fixtures like head restraints. This increases the size of blindspots. The increasing number of passive safety measures in cars, e.g. air bags, increases the risk of Post Accident Deployment Incidents (PADIs), with consequences for the rescue services. The rescue services also have to deal with the increased structural strength of the new passenger safety cell. Despite the protection offered by new cars, vehicle occupants are likely to suffer injury in accidents at speeds over 30mph due to the sudden change in speed. Safety design does not improve driving standards and may make drivers take more risks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:13:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/810022</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Seeing the light</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/810021</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The European Commission is consulting on proposals for Daytime Running Lights (DRL). These proposals have met with opposition from the UK government and from motorcyclists. The opposing views on DRL from the car driver's perspective and the motorcyclist's perspective are set out. Scandinavian cars (Volvos and Saabs) have had DRL since the 1970s, increasing the visibility of the cars. Studies in Norway, Denmark and Canada showed reductions in daytime accidents when DRL was introduced. Motorcyclists tend to have their headlights on during the day to increase their visibility. This advantage would be lost if all vehicles had DRL. Studies in Australia, America, Japan and Europe have shown that DRL will make the roads more dangerous for everybody, particularly vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:13:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/810021</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Less haste, less speed</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/790837</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article describes a speed awareness course in the UK offered to drivers who have been detected driving slightly over the speed limit. Speed is a factor in many collisions but is seen as acceptable behaviour by most drivers. The aim of the course is to change attitudes by motivating drivers to look at speed limits, highlighting the dangers of speeding and encouraging safe use of speed. The company Drivetech (UK) operates two Speed Awareness Schemes, supported by police and safety camera partnerships. The scheme features an interactive computer-based assessment, from which a personal report for each driver is drawn suggesting how their could be improved.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:18:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/790837</guid>
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      <title>Maybe baby</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/790839</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article looks briefly at new UK regulations governing the use of seat belts and child restraints in road vehicles. Under the new rules children under three years old must use a child seat or booster appropriate for their weight. Where seat belts are fitted, children under three years, of up to 135 centimetres height, must use the appropriate child restraint. Three exceptions allow child use of an adult belt in a taxi; for an unplanned journey; or where two child seats prevent a third being fitted. Rear facing baby seats must not be used in a seat protected by a frontal airbag unless it has been deactivated. Recent research shows that many parents stopped using child restraints by the time the child was six years old.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:18:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/790839</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Getting the hump</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/790838</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article examines the use of speed humps in UK roads. Areas with a twenty miles per hour speed limit commonly require traffic calming measures to encourage drivers to keep to the limit. In some places speed cushions are favoured as these allow wider vehicles to straddle them. Although speed humps reduce traffic noise from small vehicles, they cause an increase in lorry noise. Motorcyclists sometimes find the humps dangerous where they are difficult to see: injuries can be caused. Vehicle damage is also reported, especially if the humps are not properly installed, and there is some concern about vibration damage to nearby buildings. However, the benefits in reduction of deaths and injuries is seen as outweighing the disadvantages.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:18:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/790838</guid>
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