‘Sanity clearance’ for Japanese drivers
In the 1960s, Japan experimented with two ways of improving road safety.
First, it required that new drivers obtain a "sanity clearance" from a doctor. This was supposed to keep psychotic motorists off the road.
Second, it urged pedestrians to either raise a hand or wave a yellow flag to indicate to drivers that they wanted to cross the road.
Both efforts failed and were quickly scrapped.
The "sanity clearance" was too easy to obtain and people disliked the expense. (Imagine flunking your driving test because you failed a sanity clearance!)
The hand-raising promotion actually increased pedestrian deaths. Apparently pedestrians seemed to believe that, as long as they raised their hand, they had "permission to ignore all traffic rules and boldly march out in to the middle of the road whenever they felt like it."
First, it required that new drivers obtain a "sanity clearance" from a doctor. This was supposed to keep psychotic motorists off the road.
Second, it urged pedestrians to either raise a hand or wave a yellow flag to indicate to drivers that they wanted to cross the road.
Both efforts failed and were quickly scrapped.
The "sanity clearance" was too easy to obtain and people disliked the expense. (Imagine flunking your driving test because you failed a sanity clearance!)
The hand-raising promotion actually increased pedestrian deaths. Apparently pedestrians seemed to believe that, as long as they raised their hand, they had "permission to ignore all traffic rules and boldly march out in to the middle of the road whenever they felt like it."
Sydney Morning Herald - Mar 24, 1968
Comments
The reason for scrapping the pedestrian flag cannot be the right one. In my city, pedestrians ignore all traffic rules and boldly walk in the middle of three-way roads all the time, and there's no more death than usual.
Posted by Yudith on 09/17/24 at 08:25 PM
To be honest, as a pedestrian and cyclist myself, more cagers should be disqualified on mental grounds. At least ten percent of them are actively psychopathic, and many more are not so much diagnosable as just... not there, not actively present on the crossing they're running other people off the road on.
Posted by Richard Bos on 09/21/24 at 08:43 AM
Category: Regulations | 1960s | Asia | Cars