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[aussiblue]

AussieBlue, why are you so negative? You seem to have an negative point for every suggestion here. You also seem to think that our little group here can't contribute to improving driving standards

I'm not negative. I am simply making the point that many of the suggestion cannot be supported by objective scientific research in terms of contributing to road safety and we risk coming up with many old ideas that might be popular and seem "self evident truths" but actually won't improve road safety and in many cases may have the reverse effect.

The opening post asked for ideas that could be statistically supported but many such as annual road tests, driver ed and testing of drivers over 65 have no research or statistical basis for improving road safety. We need new ideas, or improvements on existing know positive road safety initiatives; ideas that can be shown to actually make a positive difference or at least are so new that no research has yet examined them.

I think we can make a difference but the concerning issue is we, like many other well intentioned but misinformed groups have done before, risk pushing some initiative that isn't founded on fact or scientific research. We may just invent more "hoon" laws -vote winning popular but of doubtful real benefit.

Perhaps instead of leaving posters like me to research the benefits of the ideas, as intimated in the opening post, those suggesting things should use Google Scholar or similar to see what research into the benefits or otherwise of the idea has already been done and if it is really likely to improve safety. If you have an idea do the research and ensure it is likely to have a benefit and hasn't already been discredited. Believe me there is little new in road safety ideas, most proposals we can come up with have been scientifically researched many times over in many countries and the results of this research is readily available.

Meantime, I will continue to play the skeptic in terms of suggestions that have no basis in fact or scientific research. I do hope that we can come up some new or improved ideas for making the world a better place and please keep trying. Just don't expect me to be silent when someone suggests something that objective scientific research has already (and often many times) shown not to work. If we go forward with a list or petition I want it to have some credibility.