In September 1986, the Dutch Government set itself (and the Nation) a task in road safety: 25% less victims in the year 2000, compared to 1985. This caused the Minister of Transport to develop an intensified policy on road safety. The road safety program 1987- 1991 (MPV) has two main aims: firstly, to focus attention on dangerous accident black spots; and secondly, to involve authorities and individual citizens at local level. The first aim covers such issues as drinking and driving problems, seat belt/ helmet use, speed behaviour, black spots, elder and younger road users, improvements of state- owned highways. The second aim comprises a campaign for raising public awareness of road safety, expansion of the successful regional councils' campaign to all 12 provinces in the Netherlands, and an incentive system for local authorities. The incentive system, called :Action -25%", was merely derived from the program "OBJECTIF -10" in France. The philosophy behind it is that by bringing the National 25% task to a problem this should induce new, creative endeavour at local level. The Ministry of Transport, and the regional councils will report with knowledge and information. The system engenders three financial incentives, and municipalities that subscribe the National -25% task for their own area, obtain a DFL. 1 per inhabitant. If they succeed in a victim decrease of at least 5% a year, an "award" of DFL. 5.000 per "saved victim" will be payed. Prizes are also offered for individuals or groups who have innovative ideas. The incentive system met lots of criticism at first even in the parliament. In spite of this, December 1st, 1987, 650 of all 715 Dutch municipalities had subscribed the -25% task and thus applied for the Action -25%. The abstract only is published.
Abstract