How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

What “safest roads” means

• Some argue the article is self‑congratulatory and that other countries (Norway, Sweden, etc.) are similarly or more safe.
• There’s debate over metrics: deaths per 100k people vs per km driven vs per time on the road.
• Several note that on both per‑capita and per‑distance measures the UK still does well among peers, but differences shrink when normalized by distance.
• Others point out that medical advances and vehicle safety improvements complicate long‑term comparisons.

Infrastructure, policy, and risk aversion

• Roundabouts are widely praised as a key UK design choice that cuts severe crashes, though large multi‑lane ones look intimidating to foreigners.
• UK is described as highly risk‑averse: heavy use of speed cameras, lower urban limits (20–30 mph), strict roadworks protection, and roads often engineered after specific fatal incidents.
• Some think this safety focus is expensive and may trade off against underinvestment elsewhere (e.g., health system, economic growth).

Driving culture and licensing

• Many describe UK driving tests as relatively hard, with mandatory theory and hazard‑perception components; pass rates are ~40–60%.
• Comparisons with the US highlight very lax US tests and inspections; several Americans say they were shocked by how little skill was required to get a license there.
• There’s disagreement on whether “confusing” roads are safer (force attention) or just stressful, especially in dense London areas.

Rural roads and national speed limits

• Extensive debate around single‑carriageway national speed limit (60 mph) on narrow, bendy rural lanes.
• One camp: limits are maxima, not targets; safe speed is often 20–40 mph depending on visibility and hazards, and you can be prosecuted for “too fast” even below 60.
• Others complain about drivers doing 15–20 mph on open rural roads, arguing they should pull over to let faster traffic pass; counter‑arguments stress risk to cyclists, horse riders, and pedestrians.
• Some suggest lowering the default rural limit (as Ireland has done) to better align law with realistic safe speeds.

Vehicles, SUVs, and vulnerable road users

• Concern that rising SUV and pickup size and high, flat fronts increase pedestrian and cyclist deaths, despite good Euro NCAP scores.
• Supporters of big cars cite cameras and sensors; critics reply that physics (mass, energy, visibility) and empirical data still show higher harm to pedestrians and rollover risk.
• Debate over whether falling deaths partly reflect removal of vulnerable users (kids and elderly now more often in cars; fewer walk/cycle or play in streets).

International comparisons & lived experience

• Commenters share stats showing similar long‑term fatality declines in Australia, Ireland, etc.
• Subjective reports: some find France and UK relaxing to drive; others find German Autobahns and Swiss motorways fast and aggressive despite good aggregate safety.
• London cycling is described by some as hostile and chaotic compared to German cities, suggesting serious‑injury rates might tell a less rosy story than death rates alone.

Tangents: plugs and roundabouts abroad

• A long side thread compares UK electrical plugs’ safety vs physical pain when stepped on.
• Several note that transplanting roundabouts into countries without driver education (e.g., parts of the US) can initially make specific junctions crash‑prone.