An essential component of the highway transportation system is the traffic law system which embraces "control" functions identified as traffic law generation, enforcement, adjudication and sanctions. A major objective of the traffic law system is to provide for the smooth and trouble-free operation of the highway transportation system by controlling and managing driver-vehicle-highway interactions through the development and enactment of consistent traffic rules and regulations applicable to all highway users. Law generation serves as the foundation of most accident countermeasures since it identifies high risk unsafe driving acts and authorizes enforcement, adjudication, and sanctioning efforts to reduce or eliminate the perceived driving risks. Specimen laws have been published as the Uniform Vehicle Code and the Model Traffic Ordinance under sponsorship of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Laws and Ordinances. Various laws that have contributed to highway safety include those relating to speed limits, motorcycle safety helmet use, minimum drinking age, and automobile safety belt and child restraint use. This paper discusses the relationship of the traffic law system to the highway transportation system, the pervasiveness of traffic law and its effect on the population, the link between traffic laws and accident countermeasures, and the proven results of certain traffic laws in reducing highway injuries and deaths.
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