Why do road 'accidents' happen?

[coupedan]

I completely 100% agree with Geezah's 1st post, I sometimes wonder that why don't car manufacturers take away the light switch and have the lights (dipped beam) on all of the time the engine is running.
Reasons for this is because the amount of people that I see leaving places at night and not having any lights on full stop is atrocious! I'd say at least 2 a week which frankly in my mind is driving without due care and attention!

I too will drive with my lights on 100% of the time, it could be midday sun, not a cloud in sight but my lights are still on, and I think that has helped with people seeing me.. so far (*touches wood*)

But then again of the flipside, I have seen an excessive amount of people with full beams on when not needed, such as middle of the day in broad daylight, to me that is just plain ignorance!

But most of all I think accidents happen by the sheer amount of people not concentrating as they should be and because the vast majority of people won't have an interest in driving so therefore are bored with it, see it as a chore and again will start concentrating on other things such as mobile devices, make-up or "friends" in the back seats etc.

 

[v8matt]

Always have my lights on in the zed, ever since the first few weeks of driving it where a few people in vans etc. cut me up on dual carriageways - presumably not seeing me due to the low height of the car?

I've not found this in the Z, but it certainly seems to help in an MGB. No one seems to see it coming on roundabouts unless I have the lights on and so just pull out in front of me all the time.

Generally I think most people have extremely poor awareness of the road around them. I don't feel comfortable on a motorway in particular unless I can visualise exactly where cars are all around me, including in blind spots, and therefore predict where they will be in a few seconds time. It's particularly important in the MG as it has no wingmirrors.

As any decent driver knows, its not difficult to do this, its just that some people were never taught observation properly and, headlights on or off, are simply accidents waiting to happen.

 

[Angie4m]

I have a new 3 series loan car and I am sure there is no way to turn the lights off, in any position. I have triple checked and there is still a small light on, in whatever position I turn the light switch

That's because by law all new cars have to have daytime running lights on them. On some older cars you can turn this feature on or off but now it's on permanently and can't be switched off. However these are only Daytime Running Lightd (DLR) and are not headlights and do in no way replace the headlights function.

It is to increase visibility of the vehical escort ally around dawn and dusk when most accidents occur and people fail to put their lights on because it's light even if not really light enough to be seen properly.

It was chucking it down yesterday and I think at least 3 out of every 5 cars had no headlights on. Even BMs which I knew from age and model had auto lights fitted but had clearly been set to off and so were not on. Not only is that stupid and dangerous not to have their lights on, it's also against the law

 

[z4_top_down]

By pure coincidence there is an interesting letter in my local weekly rag where the writer contends that there are only 3 causes of accidents:

1) Sudden, catastrophic mechanical failure;
2) Sudden onset of driver illness;
3) Driver error resulting from misjudgement or distraction (clearly alcohol/drug use causes misjudgement so they fit in here and phone use falls into the distraction category)

I can see his point when you analyse most of the often touted reasons for accidents they generally fall under reason 3. Speed itself isn't a cause of accidents but inappropriate speed is and that stems from a driver misjudging the appropriate speed for the conditions.

Two of my favourite local roads have recently had their speed limits reduce from 60 to 50. The roads themselves are not dangerous and I've driven far narrower and twisty roads that retain 60mph limits, the fact is that too many people think a 60 limit means the road is always safe at 60 and their have been one too many accidents so now everyone had to suffer.

The stupid thing is that those idiots who can't judge the appropriate speed or think they know better will still drive like idiots and there will still be accidents.

What is actually needed is far better driver training and more appreciation of the laws of physics (i.e. just because the speed limit is 60mph that doesn't mean your 1.0ltr Corsa will get round that 90 degree left hander at 60!!)

And I totally agree that learning to ride a bike gives you a totally different perspective on traffic situations.

 

[Adamski]

I usually drive with my headlights on. Not to stop accidents, but because it makes my car look cool 8) :roundel: :crazydude: :w00t:

 

[mcbeee]

Yeah , that's it, looks cool....

I can go with that

I think I'll use that one...

 

[teamemmenracing]

I usually drive with my headlights on. Not to stop accidents, but because it makes my car look cool 8) :roundel: :crazydude: :w00t:

Finally a man that can talk some sense .......