Recommendations on enforcementWith reference to Denmark

Inger Marie Bernhoft

Senor Researcher

Danish Transport Research Institute

These problem areas are also high priority issues in Denmark

Recommendations on enforcementWith reference to Denmark

The aims

– To change road user behaviour regarding • Speeding• Drunk driving• Seat belt use

These problem areas are also high priority issues in Denmark

What do we know in Denmark about Speeding?

A Danish trial on automatic speed control(200.000 violations)

The evaluation showed– a slight decrease in the mean speed– no significant decrease in the number of accidents with

personal injuries

What can we do then?– increase the police effort in delimited areas– make the controls visible– increase the subjective detection risk

What do we know in Denmark about Drunk driving?

A former Danish road side survey showed

The problem areas are– highest proportions among drivers aged 35-54– also drivers of vans– highest proportion of DUI in evenings and weekends– summertime worse than December– accident risk is dramatically increased for young people

What can we do then?– conduct controls in hours with low detection rates – inform about the controls as deterrence– introduce alcolocks

What do we know in Denmark about Seat belt usage?

Seat belt counting take place repeatedly

Changes from 2001 to 2003– drivers of passenger cars – unchanged 84%– back seat passengers

• an increase from 55% to 67% on workdays• an increase from 50% to 55% in weekends

– drivers of small vans – a slight increase from 61% to 62%

What can we do then?– increase the police effort in periods and places with

• a low seat belt usage• an overrepresentation of non-seat belt accidents

– introduce seat belt locks

Why do we need enforcement?

The purpose of the action plan must be clearly defined

– What do we want to obtain?• A change in

– the mean speed– the proportion of drunk driving– the proportion of seat belt usage

• A change in – the number of violations

• A change in – the number of accidents/injuries/fatalities

What is the main aim of enforcement?

To reduce the number of accidents with personal injuries

– How• By increasing the subjective detection risk• Controls in combination with information

– Therefore• The police should be visible• Controls should be massive• People should experience to be stopped themselves

– Result• Deterrence• Fewer accidents

How to set up an optimal enforcement plan?

Where?1. In high risk areas2. In locations where controls are not expected

Why? 1. Accident reduction purposes2. Deterrence

The effect of enforcement depends on1. The intensity of the controls2. The visibility of the controls

Evaluation

Set up some hypotheses for the expected outcome

e.g.The aim of enforcement– To obtain a certain accident reduction

How to evaluate– To measure the decrease in accidents related to the

various enforcement themes

Proposed evaluation

A report each 2 years: – Equipment– Plans for controls (when, where, how many)– Violations– Sanctions (in court / other sanctions)– Protocols and procedures– Changes in rules

What is the purpose of this information?

– The purpose must be clearly stated– Else no response

Proposed evaluation

Recommendation 2 – To evaluate regularly

It seems possible that this recommendation has been added at a later stage

All references to recommendation numbers in the annex are incorrect

Is this evaluation meaningful?

Missing information

– Important indicators• Accident reduction• Changes in speed, drunk driving, seat belt use

In conclusion

- The topics are a good choice for enforcement

- But the recommendations are too vague

- They should reflect an overall strategyCriteria for success

Expected outcomeSaved lives

- Feed back from the member countries should reflectThe degree of success

Actual outcomeAccident reduction