Turn signal neglect results in over twice as many crashes as distracted driving
05-01-2012, 09:36 AM
#1
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Turn signal neglect results in over twice as many crashes as distracted driving
One of my pet peeves. Driver's who don't use their signals.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/t...rashes-as-dis/
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/t...rashes-as-dis/
Epidemic Turn Signal Neglect Rate Now Approaching 50%, Causing Millions of Crashes per Year
Society of Automotive Engineers Report: with Effects Worse than Distracted Driving, Turn Signal Neglect is No Longer Just an Annoyance
Dayton, Ohio (PRWEB) April 24, 2012
In a revealing new report published by the Society of Automotive Engineers this week at the 2012 SAE World Congress, an in-depth observation study of turn signal rate-of-neglect not only exposes how widespread the problem is, but how simple the solution is.
A total of 12,000 turning and lane-changing vehicles were observed with visible turn signal usage (or neglect) data recorded. The study shows that the neglect rate for lane changing vehicles is 48% and the neglect rate for turning vehicles is 25%. That translates to an astonishing 750 billion times a year that drivers neglect turn signals on U.S. roadways, or over 2 billion times per day. Each incident of neglect elevates the risk of a multi-vehicle crash.
Obviously, not every absent turn signal results in a crash, but the study concludes that the collective result of turn signal neglect is as many as 2 million crashes per year. In comparison, the U.S. Department of Transportation states that Distracted Driving causes about 950,000 crashes per year, so Turn Signal Neglect is actually a more significant safety issue. While the causes and remedies to combat Distracted Driving remain a matter of ongoing debate, the remedy for Turn Signal Neglect is simple, direct, effective, and cost-saving: The singular cause is driver neglect and the solution is the Smart Turn Signal.
Smart Turn Signals use vehicle sensors and computer control to not only shut off the turn signal appropriately and accurately under every conceivable driving situation, but also assists the driver to assure that the turn signal is used regularly. The Turn Signal Assist feature is similar to a seat belt reminder – If you habitually neglect the use of your turn signal when you execute turns, you will eventually get a friendly reminder display. For drivers who use turn signals nearly every time, no display will ever appear, so it is never a nuisance for most drivers. Drivers who neglect their turn signals will quickly improve their habits and therefore reduce their overall risk of involvement in a crash as well as reducing the risk of getting a traffic citation.
Smart Turn Signals actually use the information from the very same vehicle sensors used for the Stability Control System (now standard on all new cars), so no cost is added to the vehicle. In fact, there are savings in cost, space and weight because the turn signal trip mechanism is eliminated. Advances in vehicle computer control have exposed the defects of the trip mechanism, which first went into production in 1940 and has remained unimproved for 72 years.
"This is a first of its kind report on a subject that amazingly, has never been studied. The turn signal is one of the very original automotive crash prevention devices and this simple driver to driver communication device remains extremely effective, but only when it is accurately displayed as required by law", states Richard Ponziani, P.E., President of RLP Engineering and author of the report. "The turn signal can no longer be considered 'optional' and all drivers have an ongoing duty to use it, just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or at a red light" he added. Ponziani further stated: "Smart Turn Signals are the perfect complement to the Stability Control System since Stability Control predominately prevents single-vehicle crashes, whereas the Smart Turn Signal prevents multi-vehicle crashes".
The Smart Turn Signal system has been in development for the past several years and the highly favorable cost to benefit ratio makes the urgent need for Smart Turn Signals even more obvious. It is anticipated that this life-saving technology will be integrated into production vehicles in the near future. This breakthrough represents a perfect opportunity to significantly reduce multi-vehicle crash rates, reduce vehicle cost and make driving a lot more friendly and courteous across the U.S.
The SAE report, publication number 2012-01-0261 is available at http://www.sae.org. RLP Engineering is a consulting firm in Dayton, Ohio specializing in vehicle safety design.
Society of Automotive Engineers Report: with Effects Worse than Distracted Driving, Turn Signal Neglect is No Longer Just an Annoyance
Dayton, Ohio (PRWEB) April 24, 2012
In a revealing new report published by the Society of Automotive Engineers this week at the 2012 SAE World Congress, an in-depth observation study of turn signal rate-of-neglect not only exposes how widespread the problem is, but how simple the solution is.
A total of 12,000 turning and lane-changing vehicles were observed with visible turn signal usage (or neglect) data recorded. The study shows that the neglect rate for lane changing vehicles is 48% and the neglect rate for turning vehicles is 25%. That translates to an astonishing 750 billion times a year that drivers neglect turn signals on U.S. roadways, or over 2 billion times per day. Each incident of neglect elevates the risk of a multi-vehicle crash.
Obviously, not every absent turn signal results in a crash, but the study concludes that the collective result of turn signal neglect is as many as 2 million crashes per year. In comparison, the U.S. Department of Transportation states that Distracted Driving causes about 950,000 crashes per year, so Turn Signal Neglect is actually a more significant safety issue. While the causes and remedies to combat Distracted Driving remain a matter of ongoing debate, the remedy for Turn Signal Neglect is simple, direct, effective, and cost-saving: The singular cause is driver neglect and the solution is the Smart Turn Signal.
Smart Turn Signals use vehicle sensors and computer control to not only shut off the turn signal appropriately and accurately under every conceivable driving situation, but also assists the driver to assure that the turn signal is used regularly. The Turn Signal Assist feature is similar to a seat belt reminder – If you habitually neglect the use of your turn signal when you execute turns, you will eventually get a friendly reminder display. For drivers who use turn signals nearly every time, no display will ever appear, so it is never a nuisance for most drivers. Drivers who neglect their turn signals will quickly improve their habits and therefore reduce their overall risk of involvement in a crash as well as reducing the risk of getting a traffic citation.
Smart Turn Signals actually use the information from the very same vehicle sensors used for the Stability Control System (now standard on all new cars), so no cost is added to the vehicle. In fact, there are savings in cost, space and weight because the turn signal trip mechanism is eliminated. Advances in vehicle computer control have exposed the defects of the trip mechanism, which first went into production in 1940 and has remained unimproved for 72 years.
"This is a first of its kind report on a subject that amazingly, has never been studied. The turn signal is one of the very original automotive crash prevention devices and this simple driver to driver communication device remains extremely effective, but only when it is accurately displayed as required by law", states Richard Ponziani, P.E., President of RLP Engineering and author of the report. "The turn signal can no longer be considered 'optional' and all drivers have an ongoing duty to use it, just as they have a duty to stop at a stop sign or at a red light" he added. Ponziani further stated: "Smart Turn Signals are the perfect complement to the Stability Control System since Stability Control predominately prevents single-vehicle crashes, whereas the Smart Turn Signal prevents multi-vehicle crashes".
The Smart Turn Signal system has been in development for the past several years and the highly favorable cost to benefit ratio makes the urgent need for Smart Turn Signals even more obvious. It is anticipated that this life-saving technology will be integrated into production vehicles in the near future. This breakthrough represents a perfect opportunity to significantly reduce multi-vehicle crash rates, reduce vehicle cost and make driving a lot more friendly and courteous across the U.S.
The SAE report, publication number 2012-01-0261 is available at http://www.sae.org. RLP Engineering is a consulting firm in Dayton, Ohio specializing in vehicle safety design.
05-01-2012, 09:38 AM
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One fix for this is to get sexy LED tail lights and LED switchback signals so you'll WANT to show off your turn signal 
lack of turn signals and slowing down to a near stop before entering a turning lane are my biggest pet peeves. There's plenty of room in most turning lanes to move over then slow down - no reason to slow your car to 15mph in a 45mph zone just to enter a turning lane.
lack of turn signals and slowing down to a near stop before entering a turning lane are my biggest pet peeves. There's plenty of room in most turning lanes to move over then slow down - no reason to slow your car to 15mph in a 45mph zone just to enter a turning lane.
05-01-2012, 08:39 PM
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Sounds like somebody has a turn signal software thingy they want to sell to OEMs, so they did a "study," pulled some big numbers out their #ss and typed up a press release.
Turn signals: don't trust them. Watch for the big car changing lanes instead, and make a habit of not being in the lane where a car is blindly merging because the driver can't be bothered either to mind their turn signal or turn their head to look over their shoulder.
Turn signals: don't trust them. Watch for the big car changing lanes instead, and make a habit of not being in the lane where a car is blindly merging because the driver can't be bothered either to mind their turn signal or turn their head to look over their shoulder.
05-01-2012, 10:16 PM
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Sounds like somebody has a turn signal software thingy they want to sell to OEMs
Now that you mention it, it does seems a little fishy. Hey, auto engineers have to eat too.
05-02-2012, 07:49 AM
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I'm a very cautious driver - offensive but cautious. I'm always driving ahead of everyone so I don't have to worry about this
Honestly - be smart. Don't click on a link that has a virus.exe extension and don't change lanes when there's a car parallel to you on the interstate - you may both want that lane.
Honestly - be smart. Don't click on a link that has a virus.exe extension and don't change lanes when there's a car parallel to you on the interstate - you may both want that lane.