Aggressive Traffic Enforcement: A Simple and Effective Injury Prevention Program
This article reports on a study undertaken to investigate whether an aggressive traffic violation enforcement program could reduce motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), injury collisions, fatalities, and fatalities related to speed, and to decrease injury severity in crash victims treated at a trauma center. The city of Fresno, California established a vigorous traffic enforcement program that featured increased traffic patrol officers. The authors collected data on citations, collisions, fatal collisions, fatalities related to speed, and injury severity (from the trauma registry), from the year before the program (2002), the first year (2003), and after full implementation (2004). Results showed significant increases in citations issued, with marked decreases in MVCs, injury collisions, fatalities, and fatalities related to speed. The trauma center data showed a decrease in admissions from MVCs, a significant decrease in the number of patients with moderate injury severity, a decrease in hospital length of stay for all MVC patients, and a decrease in hospital charges for MVC patients. The authors note that these changes were not seen in the Fresno area outside the area of increased enforcement. The authors conclude that this is a simple, easily implemented injury prevention program with immediate benefit. The initial costs of the program were supported by grant funding, and the generated revenues were more than adequate to maintain the program. However, for the community to realize long-term benefit from the aggressive enforcement program, the program must be ongoing and permanent. Appended to the article is a brief discussion provided by the authors.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00225282
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Authors:
- Davis, James W
- Bennink, Lynn D
- Pepper, David R
- Parks, Steven N
- Lemaster, Deborah M
- Townsend, Richard N
- Publication Date: 2006-5
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: p 972-977
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Serial:
- Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care
- Volume: 60
- Issue Number: 5
- Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- ISSN: 0022-5282
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Costs; Crash injuries; Fatalities; Human factors in crashes; Law enforcement personnel; Prevention; Speeding; Traffic crashes; Traffic law enforcement
- Geographic Terms: Fresno (California)
- Subject Areas: Economics; Finance; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01031809
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Sep 5 2006 7:48AM