Live data from Hacker News

Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

twitter.com

21–30 of 524 posts

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#21
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also look at road section with abnormally high levels of accidents and are actually willing to chance road layout to more intuitive. It is a legitimate reason to change the curvature or build a bridge or additional exit in Norway "because it's difficult to drive in". It's really quite incredible, and combine that with safer cars, and you can really start to eat into traffic fatalities.

Interesting, because in some places like the UK, road infrastructure is intentionally made "difficult" as it has been proven to make drivers pay more attention and reduce accidents around those places.

These are different types of changes like lane narrowing or lane marker omitting that don't aim to make driving less intuitive, but to decrease the perceived safe speed of travel. They're trying to make driving feel more difficult without actually increasing the danger level, which in theory decreases the danger for everyone else on the road without actually endangering drivers.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#22
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not different at all. Why would Norwegians be different from other humans? I can confirm that Swedes and danes do this too. And being of croatian descent I can confirm they do it there too. It's not a cultural thing, it's a human thing to be impatient. If anything it speaks of the flow of traffic. Here in Sweden you can often safely cross the street because the entire length of the street has lights that work…

Ive been shouted at in Germany for crossing at red light, even with no car in sight, and for how bad an example this was for children at the scene.

As a cyclist in Malmö, Sweden, I wish I could shout at some people sometimes. But truth is that people cross against red all the time with no consequences.

I stay out of principle.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#23
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also look at road section with abnormally high levels of accidents and are actually willing to chance road layout to more intuitive. It is a legitimate reason to change the curvature or build a bridge or additional exit in Norway "because it's difficult to drive in". It's really quite incredible, and combine that with safer cars, and you can really start to eat into traffic fatalities.

Interesting, because in some places like the UK, road infrastructure is intentionally made "difficult" as it has been proven to make drivers pay more attention and reduce accidents around those places.

Do you have a reference for that, out of interest?

That might genuinely be the intention but I'd worry that -- depending on the kind of 'challenge' added to roads -- it might not always work out for the best.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#24
post #6

From the chart, going from 5 or 10 driver traffic deaths to 1 may be a simple statistical anomaly (and perhaps not even, it could be within the distribution). We would need to know the history of pedestrian and cyclist deaths too. The long term evolution seems meaningful, but that year may not mean anything.

I would love to live in a city where 1 traffic death is within the distribution, so I think it means a lot.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#26
post #5

Does Oslo rigorously separate cars from bikes, using bike lanes?

Much of Scandinavia is good at this, except when it comes to old city centres. And I believe Oslo has a large old and hilly centre.

So we're good at separating bikes from cars, when it's practical and when we have the space to do so. Gothenburg and Stockholm city centres are two bad examples. While Malmö city is a very good example.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#27
post #9

That's impressive. Even more impressive is that the yearly death toll has been 10 or below since around 2005. Is it because people/teens are now staying indoors more due to the internet or is it due to a policy change or is it technological improvements in cars? I don't speak norwegian so I can't read the linked article.

There are many factors. Cars are getting safer, streets are getting safer, LED lighting has vastly improved visibility for cars and bikes and pedestrians, and also that Norwegian driver education is very thorough.

Drivers ed starts with a 17 hours (2/3 days) theory course, then you are allowed at 16 to start practice driving with parent/other experienced driver in the passenger seat, then you do mandatory hands-on courses on: night driving, cold weather driving, safety driving (on closed track); typically you take at least 5-10 driving lessons on public roads with a certified instructor, then you can take the theoretical exam, and finally the 1-hour driving test before you get your certificate.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#28
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, because in some places like the UK, road infrastructure is intentionally made "difficult" as it has been proven to make drivers pay more attention and reduce accidents around those places.

Do you have a reference for that, out of interest? That might genuinely be the intention but I'd worry that -- depending on the kind of 'challenge' added to roads -- it might not always work out for the best.

I might be cynical but IMHO there is no end to creative rationalisation of the poor investment in road infrastructure in the UK...

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#29
post #4

It is quite expensive to get a drivers license here in Norway, and it is a rigorous process.

You can freely use many foreign driver's licenses without extra expenditures.

Yes, and this is true in virtually every country. The licenses of almost every country are accepted for visitors in any of those same countries, thanks to some UN conventions.

An international driving permit which uses a standardized format and includes translations may be required.

Re: Oslo had 0 pedestrian, 0 cyclist, 0 children and 1 driver trafic deaths in 2019

#30
post #13

One interesting observation on Oslo is that, pedestrians do cross the street when it's red for them, if there's no moving traffic close by. This is totally different from, for example, Copenhagen, Stockholm and places I visited in Germany. They're like Italians of the north. That's probably why we felt at home on the streets during our stay there, as a family from Turkey. I would love to have that 0 deaths statistics…

same in the UK.

but more than that, in the UK in any intersection with traffic lights the pedestrians will never have a green light at the same time as cars.

meanwhile, in most countries i've visited making a left or a right turn in an intersection will most likely cause you to stop for pedestrians that also get a green light. frustrating and illogical!

Post reply on HN