In a recent issue of Harper’s , a writer named James C. Scott told the story of Hans Monderman , a traffic engineer. In 2003, Monderman suggested removing a traffic light from a city called Drachten, in the Netherlands. The interesting part is that removing the red light may actually have increased traffic safety!
This busy traffic circle saw 22,000 cars a day, plus pedestrians and bike riders. In the four years before the traffic light was removed, there were 36 collisions, but in the two years after the light was removed, there were only two crashes!
Scott, the writer of the piece, speculates that this reduction in collisions may have several causes:
- Without the light, “drivers know they must be alert and use their common sense”
- Drivers pay more attention to the other roadway users
- Too many signs may force drivers to spend time and attention taking their eyes from the road, instead of looking at one another
Whatever the reasons for the successful reduction in collisions, one thing is sure: in the end, driving safety all comes down to–you guessed it–safe drivers! DriversEd.com offers a Texas defensive driving course that can help make any driver safer.
The course is designed especially for the drivers of Texas. Defensive driving is particularly important in this state, because statistics show that hundreds of drivers die every year. If you’ve gotten a ticket, you can use this Texas defensive driving course for ticket dismissal–all online, so you don’t have to spend all day sitting in a dusty classroom.
Even drivers who have been on the roads for years, driving safely, can benefit from a little refresher course! That’s why you can even get a 10% discount on your auto insurance, just for taking online Texas defensive driving with DriversEd.com.
Take the course and make sure your defensive driving skills are sharp. That way, you’ll be prepared for anything, even if your hometown decides to get rid of traffic signs!