| Driving instructor sees red over 'dangerous' lights |
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| Thursday, 09 October 2008 | |
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A NORTHSIDE driving instructor has called for a nationwide review of the traffic lights system, which he claims is putting lives in danger. Frank Cullinane, a former Garda and now an instructor with the Institute of Advanced Motorists, believes drivers are wrongly picking up penalty points at junctions in Ballymun and Finglas. He believes that both the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and local councils have failed to take into account stopping distances in relation to traffic light signals. “There is neither enough time nor distance for people to safely cross or stop when the amber light is lit, at the junction on Ballymun Road, for instance,” the Glasnevin local explained. “I have put a lot of research into this so I know that the amber light at that junction is lit for just three seconds. Essentially, you have three seconds to bring your car to a halt or to get across the junction safely, both of which are impossible. “There is a 50KPH speed limit in Ballymun so it would take five seconds to come to a stop from that speed, not three seconds as the lights require. “Also, it takes on average seven seconds to cross the junction which means that drivers are inevitably passing through the junction when the light has turned red, which is a penalty points offence.” Motorists who fail to obey traffic lights are eligible for two penalty points and an e80 fine. If the offence is unsuccessfully appealed in court, five points will be awarded as well as an increased fine of e120. Mr Cullinane claims there is no correlation between the rules of the road and the operation of traffic lights at many junctions. He also believes that many of his fellow driving instructors and gardai are unaware of the dangers motorists face as a result of the situation. “Very few people have stopped to think about how the lights work,” he told Northside People. “I feel strongly about this because of the experiences and accidents I witnessed while I was a serving member of the gardai. “It hit me very hard to see so many people killed and injured on the roads so I tried to come up with ways that could prevent some lives being lost. “I saw such terrible accidents at junctions. One that sticks out in my mind was when a young single mother was killed when she was hit by a car that came through a red light. “In that incident, somebody didn’t know their stopping distance in relation to the lights.” He added: “I think this situation could also be to blame for the number of pedestrians being killed on our roads. They either can’t get across the road in time or the driver has misjudged his stopping distance.” A spokesperson for Dublin City Council confirmed that traffic lights are always set to three seconds and that stopping distance is not related to the amber time but rather the “all red” time. “The three seconds amber time must be used as it is set out in the traffic signs manual under direction from the Minister for Transport,” the spokesperson explained. “Layout and light sequences are set out in the traffic signs manual under direction from the Minister for Transport. “For this reason it is not necessary to consult with the RSA as we must follow a standard procedure. “The traffic sequences may be decided by using modelling software to determine the best sequence. The data inputted into the model is taken from traffic and pedestrian counts.” According to the spokesperson, most junctions use a sequence which is dependant on the road layout, the traffic management requirements and to the design standards in the traffic signs manual. “Initially the timing is determined from the model data,” the spokesperson explained. “When the signals are switched on the timings are determined by our real time traffic control system, SCATS, using data collected from vehicle detectors in each lane at the junction approaches.” |
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I have no sympathy for him. If he wants to own a dog, ...
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Developed by Kevin Flynn