In May 1988 the legal speed limit for cars on most of the motorways in the Netherlands was raised from 100 to 120 km/h. On a small portion of the motorway network (about 17 per cent), especially on busy sections, the speed limit remained 100 km/h. The primary objective of this change of the legal speed limit, which has been accompanied with an increase of law enforcement efforts and several public information campaigns, actually was and still is to reduce the driving speed of motorists. In order to evaluate the effects of these countermeasures on the opinions and motives of motorists towards speeding, three questionnaire surveys were carried out; the first was held in April 1988, the second in September 1988, the second in September 1988, and the third in April 1989. The questionnaires were mailed to independent samples of car drivers. The samples were taken by means of registration plates at several locations on motorways. At the same time, the actual driving speed was measured. The questionnaires consisted of items concerning reported behaviour, attitudes and beliefs towards speeding, the legal speed limits and law enforcement. On the basis of the data with regard to both the main reason for driving a car on working days and the owner of the car, four groups of car users could be distinguished, which systematically differed on most of the relevant variables. The groups are: (1) private drivers, i.e. car drivers who mainly use their car for private purposes like shopping and visiting; (2) commuters by car; (3) business drivers like salesmen with a private car; (4) business drivers with a company car. The results of the surveys show that the private drivers speed the least, they have the most favourable attitudes towards the speed limits and police enforcement, and they have the most unfavourable attitudes towards speeding. On the other hand, the business drivers with a company car speed the most, they have the most unfavourable attitudes towards the speed limits and police enforcement and they have the most favourable attitudes towards speeding. The other two groups take a position between these two extremes. (A)
Samenvatting