WHY DO DRIVERS BREAK TRAFFIC LAWS?

The many different reasons for disobeying traffic laws are discussed: ignorance of the law; belief that the law does not serve a useful function; the opinion that a law, while serving a useful purpose, is not necessary for the individual driver in question; the punishment for an offence being thought by a driver to be trivial. The effect of police presence on driver behaviour is shown. The author suggests that research might be done on studying the "excuses" given by drivers for breaking the laws. The author suggests that laws could be better designed, or more successful results obtained when they are brought to the public's attention if the "barriers to adoption" for a safety measure were examined. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03091414
• Corporate Authors:

  Police Review Publishing Company, Limited

  14 St Cross Street
  London EC1N 8FE,   England 
• Authors:
  • SHEPPARD, D
• Publication Date: 1981-4-17

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 758-761
• Serial:
  • POLICE REVIEW
  • Volume: 89
  • Issue Number: 4602
  • Publisher: POLICE REVIEW PUBLISHING CO LTD
  • ISSN: 0309-1414

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Crimes; Drivers; Legislation; Offenders; Penalties; Police; Police traffic services; Problem drivers; Safety; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic regulations; Traffic violators
• Uncontrolled Terms: Traffic laws
• ITRD Terms: 2267: Attitude (psychol); 1772: Driver; 1556: Legislation; 1516: Offence; 1508: Offender; 1502: Penalty; 1522: Police; 1665: Safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00370575
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1983 12:00AM