Stop! and consider what will really work
Road safety is at the top of mind these days. Whether in the pages of this paper with letters from residents, or in the Clearview Council Chambers, where people are talking about how we can avoid traffic tragedies.
The great thing about this issue, unlike so many others, is we all want the same thing – roads that are safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. We all want efficient passage to our destination and a pleasant journey would be welcome too. The hard part is how we achieve that.
Some say stop signs are the ticket. A group of Nottawa parents filled the council chambers with their wee charges to emphasise the need for one and it was granted. Who could deny it? We want kids to be safe and if all it takes is one red octagon then that is easy.
Council’s support for this request may have been the right one. It certainly has the feel-good effect of democracy in action, but this is a rather inefficient method of implementing wide-spread safety measures and does not take best practices and actual results into account.
According to the Ministry of Transportation, stop signs are not intended to be used as speed control devices. Their usage should be limited to the control of right-of-way conflicts. It is recommended that stop signs should only be used where traffic engineering studies considering such factors as traffic speeds, traffic volumes, restricted sight lines and collision experience indicate that the use of stop signs is warranted.
Winnipeg Public Works posts that when a stop control is installed but not warranted, an average of 68 per cent to 95 per cent of the motorists approaching the intersection do not come to a complete stop. In general, if people see no reason for the stop sign, they disrespect the sign. That city has taken the position that excessive unwarranted stop sign usage breeds disrespect for all traffic signs, and that inappropriate signs become part of the landscape with their effectiveness reduced.
All-way stop control may reduce the number of right-angle and left with opposing through collisions, however, there is a potential increase in the number of rear-end and fixed object collisions, especially if there is a high volume of traffic being required to stop unnecessarily. Studies have shown that stop signs, when not used correctly, can actually increase speeds as drivers aim to make up for lost time and that noise and pollution increase.
Installing signs on municipal roads is a very clear and public expression of council’s power but let’s not think of these red markers as the sole solution. Let’s think of a strong vision with high-level decision making based on a clear method which includes public consultation, proper planning, professional review and fair, effective implementation across the municipality as the road to everyone’s safety.
