A study was undertaken to review the recent Australian and international literature relating to traffic law enforcement. The specific areas examined included alcohol, speed, seat belts and signalised intersections. The review documents the types of traffic enforcement methods and the range of options available to policing authorities to increase the overall efficiency (in terms of cost and human resources) and effectiveness of enforcement operations. The review examines the deterrence mechanism, the effectiveness of legislation and the type of legal sanctions administered to traffic offenders. The need to use enforcement in conjunction with educational and environmental/engineering strategies is also stressed. The use of educational programs and measures targeted at modifying the physical and social environment is also briefly reviewed. The review concludes with a series of recommendations regarding the most promising options available to authorities to improve the effectiveness of traffic law enforcement operations. This study was sponsored by the SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research. (A)
Abstract