Better Sense on the Roads



Today a new law came into effect, requiring that drivers stop at pedestrian crossings, giving way to pedestrians who are not yet physically on the crossing.

Israel lost 281 people in deadly traffic accidents during 2014. And 1804 were seriously injured.

Pedestrian crossings are particularly hazardous.

The law in Israel has required a driver to stop when a pedestrian is ON a pedestrian crossing. In practice this results in a test of daring, as someone needs to take that first brave step, in the hope that a driver will indeed stop.

Drivers will typically take advantage of their tons of steel, and, even when someone is on a crossing, but not on the driver's side of the road, they will continue driving on.

It is particularly horrifying to witness children crossing at pedestrian crossings on busy streets.

Back in England, where I learned to drive, the law was that the vehicle must give way to a pedestrian, even if he's not yet on the crossing, but is simply waiting at the side.

Such a system is far more logical and far safer.

Today, Israel signed up to the same idea - and let's hope that fewer pedestrians are killed at pedestrian crossings as a result.

Comments

  1. Linda30 March 2015 at 01:55

    This is a great new law and I hope that many lives will be saved as a result. Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)

    ReplyDelete

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