Drachten Effect

How reducing number of traffic signals led to reduction in accidents.

i usually post about my builds and tech related things but today i want to share something interesting.

i was reading antifragile a book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. in chapter 7, he shares about an interesting experiment carried out in Drachten, Netherlands by by Hans Monderman.

Hans reduced the number of traffic signals, signs, lane markings to create a shared space between drivers and pedestrians. Due to reduced structure you might expect that the numbers of accidents increases? But nope. It infact led to reduction in road accidents from 8.3 per year to almost 1. Some areas noticed 50% reduction in accidents.

This interesting observation is seen because the lack of systematic code and conduct to rely on, forced the drivers to pay attention to the road because the risk is now shared. If any accident occurs now, it's completely on driver and there's no safety of relying on a system.

It's as if both the driver and the pedestrians have skin in the game. Both needs to comply, otherwise it's not going to work out.