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I have a love of life. Some may call me a cynic but I'm truly an optimistic realist. I work on the philosophy “If you expect the worst but aim for the best, you'll land somewhere that's comfortable.”

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17 November 2012

Road Safety - Why's The Driver The Scape-goat?


Why are there laws for drivers/riders but not pedestrians?

It is a driver's duty to keep an eye out for people crossing; children playing at the side of the road and other road users.

If two (or more) vehicles crash, the police look for fault to make the right person pay for the crime if one's been committed.

But, if a person is knocked down because they weren't paying “due care and attention” (providing they don't die) aren't convicted. If a person sustains injuries because of poor clothing choices, they're not liable to the same rules as a driver would be if they were to drive with no lights on. If a cyclist cycles with headphones on and riders right over a junctions with no change in speed to allow for something unexpected to pop out; they're not punished.

My point is, why should it be all up to drivers? We are responsible for our own actions, if you choose to wear dark clothes it's your problem if you get hit by a car at night. Humans have variable levels of vision but none are known to have infra red capability. The driver my not have physical injuries after a collision but most will suffer some sort of psychological impact. Where is justice for them? Intension of causing injury isn't there but a lack of duty of care to the driver's mental well-being has been missed.

If a driver sadly dies but is at fault, they're not convicted. Why shouldn't this apply to a pedestrian? Maybe, just maybe, if pedestrians were accountable for their own actions – people would take more care crossing roads, in their choices of clothing and overall behaviour around roads.

My suggestions might seem mad, but if we are all tide by laws that make us take more care, surely this will make roads safer for all users?

If you have a ship controlled by a blind person and another my a sighted person, what one is at fault if they collide. The weather is perfect, both vessels are in top working order and there's no mitigating circumstances other than, one ship has no eyes looking out?

Exactly, the one with eyes looking for risk factors.

But, the sighted captained doesn't know there's nobody looking out.

If there was a sighted person looking out on both vessels, then they could both take actions – change course or speed to avoid the incident.

My point isn't about blind people not being in control of sea going craft but, two alert people can make changes to their behaviours to avoid an incident.

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