ATTITUDES, OPINIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF LOUISIANA DRIVERS CONCERNING THE 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT AND OTHER HIGHWAY SAFETY ISSUES

The survey indicates that, while nearly two thirds of the interviewees now drive slower than before the 55 mph speed limit was imposed, the majority of Louisiana drivers still exceed it on interstate highways. Two thirds of the interviewees including a majority of those who regularly exceeded the limit, did not believe the law should be changed. Of those who did, about half thought that 60 mph was a viable alternative. When asked why they think most people speed, the interviewees most frequently cited being in a hurry, enjoying the sensation of speed, habit, to save time, and roads and cars being designed for higher speeds. Half of the interviewees thought the state police were enforcing the speed limit. One third thought they were not and the remaining fourteen felt that enforcement was erratic. Over half thought that increased enforcement was a key factor in increasing compliance, while only a fifth felt that education and advertising would achieve the same objective. (The fact that speeders were actually more likely to remember advertisements about the speed limit would tend to support the opinion of the former group.)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
• Corporate Authors:

  Sunbelt Research Corporation

  Baton Rouge, LA  United States 

  Louisiana Department of Public Safety

  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70896
• Publication Date: 1980-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 80 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Compliance; Driver performance; Drivers; Interviewing; Personnel performance; Speed limits; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic safety education
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; I73: Traffic Control; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00330131
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 613
• Files: HSL, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 15 1983 12:00AM