Driver attitudes to speed enforcement

The research undertaken for this project comprised: an audit of existing speed enforcement strategies in all Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions; a review of research into attitudes towards speeding and speed enforcement in Australian and New Zealand; focus group discussions with drivers in Australia and New Zealand to explore their attitudes towards speeding and speed enforcement, knowledge about speed enforcement, and self-reported behaviours; and a survey of 3,152 drivers in Australia and New Zealand to quantify their attitudes towards speeding and speed enforcement, knowledge about speed enforcement, and self-reported behaviours. The study found that it is common for drivers to think that other drivers who drive faster than they do are a safety threat, but they mostly see their own driving as being under control and therefore ‘safe enough’. In discussion groups, drivers indicated that the fear of being caught was usually the most salient negative consequence of speeding, and was therefore the most prominent consideration in choosing driving speed. Overall, enforcement by police was widely supported by drivers and claimed to be more effective than automatic enforcement. The effectiveness of covert enforcement was generally not well understood and it received lower levels of approval than overt techniques. More survey respondents reported that they were deterred by the threat of immediate licence suspension than by a fine or demerit points. Almost all discussion group participants were interested in knowing what revenue raised through speeding fines was spent on, and thought that transparency around this issue may make them more accepting of fines.

• Record URL:
  https://www.onlinepublications.austroads.com.au/items/AP-R433-13
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9781921991882
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Austroads Project SS1573
• Corporate Authors:

  Austroads

  Suite 2, Level 9, 287 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia
  Sydney, New South Wales   

  Ipsos Social Research Institute

  ,    
• Publication Date: 2013-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 212p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Drivers; Focus groups; Law enforcement; Penalties; Questionnaires; Speed control; Speeding
• Uncontrolled Terms: Interviews; Safe systems (road users)
• Geographic Terms: Australia; New Zealand
• ATRI Terms: Attitude; Driver behaviour; Focus group; Law enforcement; Penalty; Questionnaire; Speed control
• ITRD Terms: 2267: Attitude (psychol); 1534: Enforcement (law)
• Subject Areas: Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01481723
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 9781921991882
• Report/Paper Numbers: AP-R433/13
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: May 21 2013 10:43AM