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Tfl have recently launched an interactive collision map for the London area. According to Tfl it was designed to ‘raise road safety awareness and reduce the number of casualties at junctions’.
The map can be found at www.collisionmap.london and gives details of every crash since 2005 with information about the road users that were involved, the types of vehicle, cyclists or pedestrian. It also shows the severity of the crash, whether there was a death, serious injury or slight injury, and to which road users.
Other than the data being of interest to some people for research, and maybe to members of the public who live locally to see what incidents there have been in their location, I don’t see this having a realistic effect on road safety as Tfl are hoping it will. Are road users really likely to look up on the internet before setting out on a journey to see where they have to take extra care, and certainly someone going on a day trip to London wouldn’t have this at the forefront of their mind when planning a nice day out sightseeing.
What we all need to remember, each time we go out and use the road, whether walking, riding a bike, or driving any vehicle is that everything that happens, good or bad, is the result of the actions of us, the road users, who must take responsibility for those actions. If we are more aware of the need to share the road space safely and responsibly and think for others who may make mistakes, we are likely to be a lot safer. A lack of concentration or awareness of other road users is generally brought about by poor planning. Don’t place yourself, or your vehicle somewhere that could put you at risk, anticipate what others may do and allow them room when necessary (to make their mistakes) and incidents like those listed on the London collision map simply wouldn’t happen.
Road safety is such an easy fix, but it does require a buy in from every road user, and therein lies the problem at the moment. If we were to start with the view that it isn’t always someone else’s fault we will be well on the way to a cure.
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