Karan Talwar, a blogger and Freakonomics reader, writes about an interesting traffic nudge near Shimla, India. The roads into Shimla are notoriously dangerous, and traffic signs have done little to lessen the problem. So local authorities began constructing temple shrines at hot spots. The nudge worked like a charm: “Turns out even though the average Indian has no respect for traffic laws and signs, they will slow down before any place of worship and take a moment to ask for blessings!”[%comments]
A Hindu Traffic Nudge
and 
. You can also watch it on 
^ Superlike Jamie’s comment. Cow is what I thought too. You ask the people who stop at these shrines and they will tell you it is the blessings of that deity that has stopped all accidents in the vicinity
The billboard strategy would not work here in Shimla (India) because the traffic is so thick that because of slowdowns, there would be more accidents and some may even roll of the hill ogling the nice larger than life model bodies on display.
In between, setting up a holly spot alongside the road is helping easing over speeding on some fast lanes.
assuming jamie (#5) is a male name, I’m going to guess that “covet” was a freudian slip
Ah, religion put to practical use. Applause.
well in Pakistan, cemeteries and masoleum of saints achieve a similar affect…not only people slow down and say a silent prayer but also turn off the loud music in their cars/buses…though surprisingly mosques by the roads don’t have such impact
Confusing causation and cause here. More likely that the temples were crowded and vehicles *had* to slow down to avoid hitting ppl dead on.
And also because the road would be *that* much narrower, so they risk hitting the shrine directly. and no one really likes testing concrete and stone for toughness.
So, please dear Freakonomics professors, put more thought into it.
If not, just go read your article on how traffic speed can be managed, how there are hard measures like speed bumps and softer ones like schools, eat-outs etc.,
Jamie-
Don’t underestimate the level of ‘appreciation’ of scantily clad women by other women. Seen the covers of any women’s magazines lately?
i guess it explains why we see more temples than hospitals in many indian cities.