A head constable, who was duty on NICE Road, was the latest hit-and-run victim on Saturday when he was hit by a vehicle. Despite traffic police using interceptors, speeding on certain roads remains a menace that goes largely unchecked in the city.
The police are planning to use technology that will appeal to drivers in the hope they will slow down. LED display boards will be installed on the medians of key roads. These will display a vehicle’s speed in real time as against the permitted limit.
“These are called driver feedback systems that work on radar or Doppler technology. They register the speed of an approaching vehicle 50 metres away. This will be flashed to the driver on the display board,” said R. Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic).
What if there are multiple vehicles? On high-speed corridors, it’s rare to see multiple vehicles at a stretch, said Mr. Hitendra, adding, “But in such cases, it will flash the highest speed.”
Psychological impact
The purpose of radar speed signs is to make drivers aware that they are crossing the limit and are used as traffic calming devices in many countries.
Traffic expert Prof. M.N. Srihari said this technology is commonly used on highways in Europe and the U.S. Empirical evidence shows that displaying the speed of a vehicle against the speed limit will see drivers slowing down. “These are also called traffic calmers,” said Mr. Srihari.
Traffic police officers concur. “When their speeds are flashed at drivers in real time, they react by slowing down. Even co-passengers in the vehicle will ask the driver to slow down. It’s a psychological trigger that will work,” said Mr. Hitendra.
50 systems to be installed
Traffic police are all set to issue tenders for 50 such driver feedback systems where one system will have two radar systems for either lanes. These will be put up in accident-prone zones on Outer Ring Road, the elevated expressway to KIA on Ballari Road, the elevated expressway to Electronics City, NICE corridor and Tumakuru Road, sources said.
