TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT. A REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS OF POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND A PROBLEM ANALYSIS

TRAFIKOVERVAKNING. OVERSIKT AV TIDIGARE FORSKNING SAMT PROBLEMANALYS

The present report reviews studies on the effects of police law enforcement on accidents and road user behaviour, and the relations between violations and accidents. Out of 26 studies of the effects on accidents, there are 4 showing accident reductions that can be assumed with some certainty to be effects of increased enforcement. Evidence for behavioural effects is given in 21 out of 25 references to behavioural studies. Thus, the research evidence for enforcement effects on behaviour can be regarded as quite conclusive. On the other hand, there is little research support for the road safety impact of police law enforcement. Some reasons for this are discussed, such as the validity of road rules, the complexity of accident generation, and the methodological problems connected with the statistical properties of accidents and experimental control problems. Having reviewed previous research priorities suggested for enforcement, a conceptual model is described. The report is concluded with suggestions to further research within three problem areas, i.e., the road user's expectations of police enforcement and their impact upon his decision and behaviour, the concordance of the actual properties of the enforcement system with the road user's expectations of its selectivity, and enforcement methods with the purpose to influence the road user's expectations on the police capability to detect and take actions against violations. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

  Linköping,   Sweden  SE-581 95
• Authors:
  • SPOLANDER, K
• Publication Date: 1977

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 88 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Drivers; Impact studies; Mathematical models; Police; Traffic crashes; Traffic law enforcement
• Uncontrolled Terms: Models
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00178409
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: VTI Report No. 139
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 29 1978 12:00AM