Question

Provide an argument for why a perfectly safe transportation system is not realistic. Support your argument with a detailed example or evidence drawn from published research. Remember to reference your sources.

Highway Safety Course

Answer 1

Transportation system is a very important part of our day to day life hence it is important to know its pros and cons.

For debating on the topic of safe transportation system and its reliability one should know the rules, terms and condition, regulations etc. that are involved in it. HIGHWAY is a road that connects two (or more) populated or important areas so that the access to these places are easy, fast and most specially SAFE. Now the question is what are the things done for this safety factor? Well, as a civil engineer, we study a loads of calculations on highway design consisting of Stopping Sight Distances, Overtaking Sight Distances, Superelevation, Transit curves and its radius and lots of more designing factors but even after all these measures taken for highway to be as safe as possible accidents occurs and are increasing day by day.

In simple words no matter how good a highway is designed, ultimately it comes to a driver (and his/her knowledge of driving) who is driving the vehicle or any mobile equipment. This is very important that everyone who is driving should at least know the basic rules of transportation system be it indication while turning,traffic lights, speed limit etc.

We as civil engineers knowing all the involved condition that a driver might face study PIEV theory i.e.,

1. Perception : Time Required To Perceive an Object or Situation. (Function of Eyes, Ears)
2. Intellection : Time Required For Understanding The Situation. (Function of Brain)
3. Emotion : Based on Our Emotions at the time (Fear, Anger etc) We Reach The Decision Weather We Want To Stop or Not. [Function of Brain]
4. Volition : Once The Decision of Stopping Has Been Finalised, Time Required For Moving the Foot From the Gas to the Brake Peddle. (Function of Hands or Legs).

• Following are the risk factors involved

1. Speed
2. Driving under the influence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances
3. Nonuse of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts, and child restraints
4. Unsafe vehicles

Any injury due to crashes originating from, terminating with or involving a vehicle partially or fully on a public road. It is projected that road traffic injuries will move up to the third position by the year 2020 among leading causes of the global disease burden. They are considerable economic losses to victims, their families, and to countries as a whole.

• Following are the Preventive Measures:

1. Helmets for two-wheeler riders
2. Setting and enforcing speed limits
3. Setting and enforcing alcohol limits
4. Banning drivers from using hand-held mobile phones
5. Road Safety