innsertnamehere
Superstar
Agree completely. It just costs a *lot* more money, but if the city wants to actually reduce injuries it’s the only way to do it.
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Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan
- Thread starter salsa
- Start date
afransen
Senior Member
You can narrow lanes with paint, create pinch points with flexi posts. It doesn't have to be expensive. This will actually lower speeds. Having a 30 kph street with 4m lanes is insanity.
www.toronto.ca
In-Road Flexible Speed Signs
As part of the City’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan Transportation Services is introducing in-road flexible speed signage in each Ward. These are signs installed in the centre of the road, serving as an additional tool in our road safety toolkit to encourage compliance with the posted speed limit...
www.toronto.ca
Northern Light
Superstar
I'll add to the chorus of agreement.
Near me the City designated Danforth east of Main as a 'Seniors Safety Zone' which carries no legal weight so far as I know; but in any event, made no changes to the road until the cycle tracks were built.
One would think the principle issue would have been people crossing the road mid-block here. In that particular location, traffic lights are close at hand in both directions.
If one needed improvements here, the road diet of cycle tracks aside; it would be to
a) Eliminate a common left-hand turn movement off Danforth into Main Square which is not and never will be signalized. A physical median/barrier at this location would improve things.
b) Eliminate a problematic left turn onto to Danforth from Barrington (again a physical barrier would be ideal).
c) Improve safety at the intersections themselves by adding a left-signal phase SB Main to EB Danforth; and by making crosswalks more visible.
d) Though I would miss the Shwarma place; one of the rare cases where a wider turning radii is pretty much essential is WB Danforth to NB Main. Buses and Trucks find it very challenging and often mount the sidewalk at the corner which is not all safe!
e) Narrow Danforth at one spot (probably at Barrington) where pedestrian crossings are likely to continue, by eliminating parking just in the immediate area (probably 4 - 6 spaces); this would shorten the crossing distance, improve the sightlines, make traffic movements more predictable, create an intuitive spot for pedestrians to cross, and an intuitive spot for motorists to expect same.
All that is preferable to another 'zone'.
tiffer24
Senior Member
CAA is planning to soon launch a public awareness campaign to better inform drivers of the risks of distracted driving with a focus on so-called infotainment systems. The campaign comes as distracted driving, which includes tasks such as eating, talking with passengers and using vehicle technology, has been a rising contributor to fatal and serious collisions.
The most recent statistics from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation show that as of 2018, distracted driving contributes to one in four fatal crashes. That's roughly on par with impaired driving, said Robyn Robertson, chief executive of the foundation, though in distracted driving the victims are less likely to be driver.
“Distracted driving is really even more of a concern because it's other people who are at risk, other road users who are at risk, and more likely to be killed and injured.”
https://www.cp24.com/news/onboard-vehicle-tech-becoming-a-safety-issue-advocates-say-1.5742308
The most recent statistics from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation show that as of 2018, distracted driving contributes to one in four fatal crashes. That's roughly on par with impaired driving, said Robyn Robertson, chief executive of the foundation, though in distracted driving the victims are less likely to be driver.
“Distracted driving is really even more of a concern because it's other people who are at risk, other road users who are at risk, and more likely to be killed and injured.”
https://www.cp24.com/news/onboard-vehicle-tech-becoming-a-safety-issue-advocates-say-1.5742308
W. K. Lis
Superstar
When did the cities in Ontario start plowing their streets for the automobile? Used to be that the streetcar companies had their own streetcar plows to clear their tracks. Apparently there were disputes with businesses along streetcar routes from the snow windrows being plowed to the side. Of course, the streetcar plows were an expense for the streetcar companies, which gave the automobiles access when followed behind the plows.
Nowadays, the bus companies don't pay for a snowplowing fee that the city does for them.
Still the cities seem to not to do much for the pedestrian, especially those with accessibility problems. Snow windrows at corners intersections seem to be left for the sun and springtime to be taken care of. Use the streets is the usual solution, from the motorists.
From link.
Nowadays, the bus companies don't pay for a snowplowing fee that the city does for them.
Still the cities seem to not to do much for the pedestrian, especially those with accessibility problems. Snow windrows at corners intersections seem to be left for the sun and springtime to be taken care of. Use the streets is the usual solution, from the motorists.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
One thing that drives me bonkers is the cars that barely slow down at four way stop signs in Cabbagetown. Yes, I know it's a pain that you can't drive for more than twenty car lengths it seems between stop signs, but that's the rules. Stop people.
I'd like to see the TPS statistics for cars stopped and drivers ticketed for rolling through stop signs. I bet its at best a few hundred, more like a few dozen annually.
I'd like to see the TPS statistics for cars stopped and drivers ticketed for rolling through stop signs. I bet its at best a few hundred, more like a few dozen annually.
evandyk
Senior Member
No one is interested in stopping cars for not stopping at stop signs. But most of the time a yield is fine anyways, as long as they yield for pedestrians (which Toronto drivers mostly won't do, even if you have a stroller and a toddler).
tiffer24
Senior Member
Northern Light
Superstar
From Doug Ford, not unexpected, sigh.
CP24 though; yikes! (not brilliant journalists, I know, but the story is right in front of them/arguably they are it)
W. K. Lis
Superstar
W. K. Lis
Superstar
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
It's kind of terrifying how much FaceTiming and driving has been normalized. On a very regular basis I'll see drivers on FaceTime calls. It's as if people don't consider it "real" distracted driving.
I think modern smartphones need to be able to detect when the user is in a vehicle in motion, and automatically disable the video output, while gently reminding people that they should not FaceTime and drive. Modern smartphones have sensors capable of detecting when someone is in a vehicle. However I would also leave a button to re-enable the video output for those of us that might be FaceTiming as a passenger (whether that be in a car or other kind of vehicle).
evandyk
Senior Member
I once saw a woman driving forward while looking backward and snapping a photo of her baby on her phone. It's insane what people do with their phones while driving.
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lenaitch
Senior Member
It seems self-absorption knows few limits, even after you are no longer actually driving:
nationalpost.com
Oh, to be a fly on the wall for the conversation with insurance.
Unfazed woman takes selfie from her car sinking through the ice in Rideau River
Having been seen driving on the river, she's been charged with dangerous driving
nationalpost.com
Oh, to be a fly on the wall for the conversation with insurance.
Saw this on Twitter this morning; a scroll through the comments showed her driving at high speed along the canal (river?) before that. Bright light.