EFFECTS OF INCREASED ENFORCEMENT AT URBAN INTERSECTIONS ON DRIVER BEHAVIOR AND SAFETY

The study described in this paper was initiated in 1972 in an attempt to define the nature and magnitude of the effects on driver behavior and safety resulting from increased levels of enforcement of traffic laws. A major purpose of the study was to investigate the increased benefits to be obtained from higher enforcement levels to determine how police can be cost effectively employed. The results of the study indicated that visible police presence at an urban intersection can significantly reduce the incidence of traffic violations. This effect appeared to be restricted to the time of actual police presence; it disappeared almost immediately after the police left. Traffic conflicts were recorded as representing a measure of safety, but, although their effects were similar to those on violations, results were not judged significant. Based on effectiveness in reducing violations the most significant improvement occurred in employing a single policeman for a period of 1 h/day. Further increases in effort did not produce appreciable further improvement.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1975/540/540-002.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=EFFECTS+OF+INCREASED+ENFORCEMENT+AT+URBAN+INTERSECTIONS+ON+DRIVER+BEHAVIOR+AND+SAFETY&author=P.+Cooper&publication_year=1975
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Traffic Law Enforcement. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Cooper, Peter J
• Conference:
  • 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia
  • Date: 1975-1-13 to 1975-1-17
• Publication Date: 1975

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 13-21
• Monograph Title: Urban Accident Patterns
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 540
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Benefits; Chemical reduction; Cost effectiveness; Drivers; Intersections; Police; Safety; Traffic conflicts; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic violators
• Old TRIS Terms: Reduction
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00126823
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309023939
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 16 1975 12:00AM