Safe distance in driving
Safe distance in driving
From Media Indonesia
We are still concerned with the low quality of drivers in our country. I once witnessed a chain of collisions which later resulted in a long-winded debate as the driver who rammed his car into the car in front of him blamed the driver of this car for braking suddenly. In fact, the driver in the rear position should be held responsible for keeping a safe distance between his car and the one in front of his in accordance with the speed of the car he is driving. It is universally agreed that a car in the rear position is always fully responsible for this safe distance.
Many drivers do not recognize the importance of this safe distance. Just see, for example, the rather obscure traffic signs along the toll road: "Keep a safe distance; avoid collisions from behind." What is this safe distance actually?
Drivers' perception of this distance vary. In a developed country, for example, it is stipulated that a distance is considered safe if it allows for 60 percent of the speed of a sedan and the like, and 80 percent of the speed of a vehicle carrying heavy loads such as a truck or a bus where the passengers are not required to put on their safety belts, though the drivers are.
It is strange in this country, though, that if you keep a safe distance, the horn of the car behind you will blare, or the car itself (about three meters behind you) will get closer to yours or this car will turn on the high beam while getting closer and closer to yours. If you, who happen to be in front, do not give way, the car behind you will cut up your car from the left-hand side and fill the safe distance you are keeping between you and the car in front.
This shameful act reflects the quality of drivers in our country. Automatically, the safe distance we have been keeping will no longer guarantee safety and we have to set a new distance of safety. Unfortunately, another car from behind will again occupy this safe distance and this pattern of events will be endlessly repeated.
It is very surprising that no law enforcement action has been seen. I pass the Jagorawi toll road about 636 times a year and have never seen any stern measures against violations of the safe distance stipulation along the toll road. In a developed country, both road users and law enforcing apparatuses as well as highway patrols pay great attention to discipline in complying with the safe distance stipulation.
It is a good idea that all drivers should be able to estimate their own safe distance. If one drives at 100 km/hour the safe distance will be 60 meters. Everyone who has had some schooling must be able to estimate how far this 60-meter distance is. Small traffic signs along the Jagorawi toll road indicate that 100 km/hour = a safety distance of 100 meters. Obviously these traffic signs are not clearly visible and do not hold much significance, legally speaking. Therefore these signs must be changed for bigger and more visible ones so that they will exert a bigger impact.
The solution is actually not difficult. The most important thing is how to ensure that road users have a high sense of discipline. To attain this objective will not incur great expense nor entail the procurement of a lot of sophisticated equipment. The equipment and regulations now available will do. Law- enforcing agencies can in fact gain additional income and do not have to set aside extra money to buy gasoline for patrol jobs. Everything will be financed by the fines imposed on those violating the traffic regulation on safe distance.
Civilian automobiles and unmarked police cars (the officers will be wearing badges) will be very effective in monitoring the behavior of road users. In this way, immediate action can be taken against those who speed and fail to keep a safe distance as required.
HENDRO OTTO
Bogor, West Java