The new style of intersection: eye contact better than traffic lights

Road users making eye contact with each other – that is the new reality at various (busy) intersections in Drachten. Here and at other locations with this new kind of intersection, people’s initial reaction has been one of bewilderment. They can’t help but ask themselves, "What on earth were they thinking? Is this safe? Why not just have regular traffic lights so everyone knows exactly what to do?" After all, isn’t that what we teach our children? When the light turns green, it’s safe to cross. But if that were true, accidents would never happen at intersections with traffic lights. But the statistics show a different picture; it is precisely at these "safe" intersections where accidents resulting in the most serious injuries (including death) occur.

So what’s the best solution? On the one hand, retailers and shoppers want quick and easy access to the town centre. "We don’t want to wait endlessly at traffic lights" is their message. On the other hand, people living in residential areas close to the centre complain about traffic taking shortcuts through their neighbourhood, making their streets unsafe. So how can the flow of traffic be stimulated while ensuring safety? The answer is a totally new approach.

Stimulate normal social contact between people. Ensure that road users do not blindly trust a traffic light or pedestrian crossing, but seek eye contact with each other. The idea might seem somewhat daunting at first, but it works. New style intersections like these are also found elsewhere in the province. One such intersection is "de Brink" in Oosterwolde which, until 1998, was a paved intersection with traffic lights, lanes, right-of-way signs, and so on. In spite of all of these traffic measures, at least three accidents resulting in serious injury occurred here each year. But for the past three years, it is has been one large intersection of red brick paving without any traffic signs or signals. Since the restructuring, there have been no accidents resulting in injuries, even though 4,500 cars still pass through the intersection every day.

Laweiplein, Drachten

The updated Laweiplein (summer of 2003) has also been restructured according to the so-called Principle of Shared Space. Apart from give-way road-marking to indicate that traffic on the roundabout has the right of way, there are no lines, signs, or lanes. Crossing pedestrians and cyclists must seek eye contact with drivers, and vice versa. This immediately results in slower moving traffic. Every day, 20,000 vehicles drive past here.

 

The Laweiplein as it used to be: an environment with rules

 

The Laweiplein since the summer of 2003: a more social environment ensures more social behaviour:

There have been no accidents with severe injuries here since February 2004. No lethal accidents occurred. In the period between 1998 and 2002, when it was still an intersection with traffic lights, signs and lanes, 8 accidents were registered, 5 of which
involved injuries (4 minor and 1 serious).

In the summer of 2006 the Laweiplein system has been evaluated. There has been considerable media attention from around the world for the ‘Shared Space’ philosophy. A special website has been created with information on the ‘Shared Space’ project. Click here to visit the website.

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