Road Safety - Stop Now!

Taking a McLaren P1 for a spin at 60 mph, then stop on a pin head, time to stop 30.2 metres excellent, with it's carbon ceramic discs, behind you is a Renault Megane, time to stop 48.4 metres. Highway code 55 metres. So are stopping distances as described in an official publication wrong? Now add the thinking time while on the way home from work on a regular journey, the auto pilot drive. Warm car, music on low, dinner on your mind. Business meeting, warm day aircon humming, medium traffic flow. How long will it take you?

If it's never gone wrong before we do not anticipate it going wrong now.

The expected time to process the information, just under one second (TRL 2013), so I believe I can stop, what if I'm wrong? Although the Highway Code figures may be disputable with the amount of technology available, in reality the driver has not been upgraded, in terms of behaviour, knowledge and reaction. Add in the modern distractions such as the mobile phone and sat nav. Do you want other drivers to acknowledge the Highway Code figures or the proposed assumption of the experienced driver in a brand new car with good brakes and tyres?


What is the message from road safety professionals?

At the end of the day to message to young drivers is all of the information you have learned is actually dated, it's not true, look around at other drivers in their modern cars. Do your family and friends stop when they need to? Can you? You are young, your reactions are quicker? Just look at Facebook and Twitter for the information.

So how will Graduated Driving Licences (GDL) tackle this?

GDL doesn't tackle attitude. A ridiculous amount of money, millions of pounds, has been spent trialing something we already know the answer to. Learning by rote as in the advent of black box technology. Do this again and again and again until it becomes your habit.  Training. Some will remember this parrot fashion approach, some still use it, some will advocate this, and why not it has a proven worth.

GDL takes control to the the extreme but it still does not guarantee saving lives.  Figures quoted relate to collision not fatality. This could be of any level. Can GDL make a distracted driver pay attention - no. Can GDL, and the extreme cost associated to implementation guarantee the reduction of young driver fatality? No.

Do I want my teenage daughter to be restricted by not driving at night, the time specifically I do want her to drive as opposed to walk. Do I want her to drive alone, not really, a young female driving alone, seriously? I do agree with phones free, but who will implement it, when hands held is on the increase not the decrease, despite the fact it is illegal. Who is going to Police this?

Less talk, less of my money spent on yet more research, and time for some proper action. It's make you mind up time, while we are in the EU, because there will be no pressure to proceed with anything if we are solo.

A 12 month learning process?  

That has potential.