Failure to design out risk on smart m-ways
I REFER to the article “Widow says wrong person jailed over fatal smart motorway crash” (October 20).
While agreeing totally with the sentiment expressed by the deceased’s widow there are of course four separate issues here that need separating out:
When a collision occurs, the question is whether the driver responsible was paying sufficient attention to make a timely response to an obstruction regardless of the locations characteristics.
As was pointed out, why has the relevant highway authority designed the site with a blindingly obvious risk built into it? If you break down in such a location you are a “sitting duck” for a rear-end collision if a following driver is not concentrating for whatever reason. Surely, failing to design out such a risk before construction is a health and safety issue and should be treated accordingly.
The article does not state whether the errant driver is UK- or foreign-based. If the latter, it would also raise the questions of, was the vehicle left- or right-hand drive and the driver’s familiarity with the UK road system, rules and ways. This then leads us to questions about the training of such drivers before driving in this country that drives on the left, uses miles/hour speed restriction signs no different in appearance from foreign kilometre/ hour signs, requires different mirror settings and consequently different head-turning disciplines and possibly other rule differences.
Talking of designing out risks, I have recently drawn Highways England’s attention to a risky feature in the A38 plans where, at Markeaton Island, traffic flows both on and off the Kedleston Road slip roads, cross those on and off the proposed overhead roundabout to and from the A38 in a remarkably short distance among speeding traffic. This creates a similar, and equally risky crossover situation as at the A52 entrance to Lodge Lane, Spondon, and the approach to Pentagon Island at Eastgate where flows from Darwin Place cross those from St Alkmund’s Way to the A52 flyover. Both can be a bit hairy at times – we do not need more like that.
Something is wrong with the system here.
David Gossling, Mackworth