Measures to increase traffic law acceptance: some strategic considerations

The set of traffic laws and rules intends to maximize the possibilities for free movement in the traffic system, while at the same time safeguarding road safety. Acceptance of traffic laws depends in part on properties of the laws and rules themselves that determine how they will be perceived or understood by the public. In the first part of the paper, the focus will be on the criteria and qualifications the laws and rules themselves will have to meet, if any effect on road user behaviour is to be expected. Next we will consider in a general sense the various measures, e.g. publicity, enforcement, education, that may accompany or support a traffic rule or law. It will be argued how important it is to agree on an a priori strategy for implementing various measures. As an example of such a strategy, a multi-phase model of measure implementation will be presented, describing a sequence of measures intended to increase law acceptance, depending upon the situation at hand. Finally, in the last part of the paper problems with traffic law acceptance and possible remedies of the foregoing will be presented with respect to five spearheads of national policy (drinking-and-driving, seat belt use, speeding, young moped riders, and heavy traffic)