OUR PROJECTS
Significant Projects
Step1:
Educate
Step 2:
Reminder Signs
Step 3:
Bill to
Enforce
Fines
Step 4:
Fine
Sign
Step 5:
Enforce
5-Step Plan to End Rubbernecking
People usually need reminders to act on their good intentions. Most people who have thought about the issue probably do not want to rubberneck, but when the time comes they either or give in to temptation or maybe a reflex takes over. A road sign deployed just ahead of the accident could help to provide this reminder. Of course, providing life saving and incident handling tasks would come first, but after these have been accomplished and first responders and engaged in traffic direction, such a sign could be set out. This sign would remind drivers to keep their eyes on the road despite the presence of an accident.
Solution: A simple, portable road sign to remind drivers to keep their eyes on the road when they pass by the accident. This sign could be distributed to a few police and fire departments to pilot its effectiveness before scaled up to more and more departments. Research could be conducted on whether the sign is effective at preventing collisions and reducing traffic delays.
Step 2:
Reminder
Signs
"Rubbernecking might seem like an inevitable part of life, but it can be ended, and good signage can help!"
Citizens Against Rubbernecking (CAR) is an initiative to solve the common, deadly, and deeply annoying problem of rubbernecking. Rubbernecking is the act of needlessly looking at accidents while driving past them. It is a form of distracted driving that puts one's self and others at risk.
Car accidents are often tragic. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car accidents are the leading cause of death for people aged 5-29.
Rubbernecking adds to these tragedies by causing more accidents and delays. A Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) study found that rubbernecking was the cause of 10% of motor vehicle accidents and, as we all know, the cause of substantial delays.
The Alliance for Good Signage (TAGS) is committed to ending rubbernecking. Read below about our 5 Step Plan to end rubbernecking and how we can put an end to this deeply annoying, and deadly, aspect of driving.
Step1:
Educate
Initially, rubbernecking might seem like a classic case of bad citizenship. After all, people are failing to regulate their impulse to look at an accident, causing distracted driving which often leads to traffic jams and collisions. However, it is important to note that powerful psychological factors cause an almost reflexive response to look at the accident as we pass by. In order to survive, humans need to be attuned to potential threats, so it is very difficult to resist the urge to observe a life-threatening circumstance, even when we may know that it is not rational to do so. Rubbernecking is a collective coordination problem - it would be better for all of us if no one looked but when each individual passes, there is a temptation and reflex to look anyway.
Solution: A Public Service Announcement based education campaign can educate people about the dangers and difficulties of rubbernecking and, without blaming or shaming, encouraging individuals to keep their eyes on the road. A campaign slogan might be: "Some side eye is fine, but keep your head aligned with the road."
A fine will likely be required to ensure compliance. While education and reminders can help, in many collective coordination problems, even a small percentage of people who do not participate in the solution can prevent progress on a problem. Therefore, a small fine will be needed to prevent the substantial collisions and delays rubbernecking causes. This fine could be at the level of a parking ticket, a relatively small incentive to keep traffic moving forward in a safe manner.
Solution: A small fine can be levied on those who engage in distracted driving by looking at an accident. First hand accounts from first responders make it clear that egregious levels of rubbernecking are common and dangerous. Some people turn their entire head ninety degrees to look at the accident – some even turn and take photographs. A small fine will help to prevent this kind of behavior and enhance safety.
Step 3:
Bill to
Enforce
Fines
In the same way that a reminder sign to prompt good citizenship and rational behavior may be effective, a sign reminding drivers of a rubbernecking fine could be beneficial in those regions who have passed this bill. This reminder would help to ensure that drivers are aware that they could be fined if they engage in distracted driving related to rubbernecking. This sign would serve an educational purpose by making sure that drivers who may not be familiar with this rule do not unknowingly break it, as these instances could cause anger about the rule due to ignorance about the rationale for its existence.
Solution: A sign about a rubbernecking fine could be deployed close to the reminder sign described above ahead of an accident scene. Fines would apply to drivers who engage in egregious rubbernecking consisting of distracted driving, such as turning one's head entirely to look at the accident or taking photos.
Step 4:
Fine
Sign
Emergency service workers have enough to do at the scene of an accident. Enforcing rubbernecking rules may therefore be difficult in many cases. However, in some cases, there are available law enforcement resources at the scene to enforce especially egregious cases of rubbernecking. Enforcement would help to establish safer behavior. New technology may also help to solve this problem. A camera set up on a tripod facing the road could automatically photograph each car that passes. Software can then be used to detect when a driver has turned their head so that both eyes are facing the accident scene. Such drivers would then receive a fine automatically.
Solution: Enforcement of especially egregious cases of rubbernecking will help to promote safe driving. Law enforcement may personally witness some cases and be able to stop the vehicle directly. New technologies involving cameras and software may be able to automatically detect rubbernecking and distribute fines.