White lines―study shows their absence may be a safety plus

摘要

White lines on the road, their impact on driver behaviour and whether or not they are a good thing, has been hotly debated over the years. Opinions are deeply divided on the subject, perhaps for the very good reason that there is little scientific evidence to support either view. Which is why research, commissioned by Wiltshire County Council, earlier this year is all the more interesting. A small number of roads in Wiltshire are without a central white line, although some still have markings at the edge of the carriageway. All have street lighting, are in 30mph limit zones and have retained hazard lines. This approach has proved to be highly contentious locally with the Council's traffic engineers accused by safety campaigners of putting lives at risk.