Fast Forward: Can technology help the vulnerable road user?

Post Event Writeup

“Fast Forward” brought together some key strands for policy as we think about the new road safety strategy. The range of presentations on the day highlighted both vulnerable groups and risk-creating activities and helped us to think carefully about a number of the issues ahead.

For me there were four key themes that emerged during the day. The first was the importance of involving users in policy development. Neither government nor industry can assume that it knows best and that whatever it thinks should be done will be accepted unconditionally by the road using public. It is important to appreciate that users are intelligent human beings. If you come up with policies that they will not accept or products that are of limited use, users will ignore them.

Secondly, it is vital to understand what technology can – and cannot – do. Sound research into the benefits of technology has to underpin policy interventions. It is no good hoping that technologies will solve the casualty problem without an appreciation of how human beings will actually use them.

Thirdly, we still need to remind road users about personal responsibility. The presence of a technology within the vehicle or on the road does not mean that the driver no longer has control of their vehicle. Road traffic law emphasises the importance of driver responsibility. That must remain a cornerstone in any safe system.

Finally, there is the question of how legislation can keep up with the pace of change. The vehicle of today is significantly more advanced from that of a decade ago. Motor manufacturers will continue to invest in technologies to ensure a market advantage. The challenge for the legislator will be to ensure that the law is not left behind in this pace of change.

Successful conferences pose questions for those who attend as well as providing answers. This event achieved that balance between information sharing and offering pointers to the areas where more knowledge is needed and more research required. I hope that you will find the presentations useful in your work to cut casualties still further.

Robert Gifford