NATIONAL SURVEY OF SPEEDING
AND OTHER UNSAFE DRIVING ACTIONS
VOLUME III: Countermeasures
CHAPTER II.
EFFECTIVENESS AND SUPPORT
FOR COUNTERMEASURES
PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS COUNTERMEASURES
Drivers were asked to rate the effectiveness of nine different countermeasures for reducing unsafe driving and speeding. The countermeasure that was viewed to be the most effective in reducing unsafe driving behaviors, assigning more police officers to traffic duty (87%), was also seen as the most effective for reducing speeding (85%). About eight in 10 drivers also said that more frequent ticketing (80% and 82%, respectively), doubling or tripling fines (80% and 81%), and taking away driver's licenses more often (79% and 81%) would be effective in reducing unsafe driving and speeding.
Eight in 10 drivers also said that increased insurance costs (80%) and road design changes, like speed bumps (78%), would be effective in reducing speeding. However, fewer drivers said these countermeasures would be effective in reducing unsafe driving behaviors (71% said increased insurance and 71% said road design changes). Increased public awareness of risks was viewed as more effective to reduce unsafe driving (80%) than to reduce speeding (72%).
Almost three-quarters of drivers (73%) said that encouraging passengers to say something to the driver would be effective in reducing unsafe driving, while 68% said it would be effective in reducing speeding. Encouraging citizens to report the driver to police was said to be effective by 64% to reduce unsafe driving, but only 52% said it would be effective to reduce speeding.
The majority of drivers would approve of implementing countermeasures in their community to reduce speeding and unsafe driving (see Figure 2-2, next page). Increasing public awareness of risks was approved by 89% to reduce unsafe driving and 83% to reduce speeding. Encouraging passengers to get drivers to stop was approved by 84% to reduce unsafe driving and 76% to reduce speeding. More frequent ticketing was approved by 83% to reduce unsafe driving and 77% to reduce speeding. Increasing the number of police assigned to traffic duty was approved by 82% to reduce unsafe driving and 73% to reduce speeding.
The majority of drivers also approved of taking away driver's licenses more often in their community in order to reduce unsafe driving (81%) and speeding (72%). Increasing the fines by double or triple was approved by 77% to reduce unsafe driving and 70% to reduce speeding. Increasing insurance costs was approved by 71% to reduce unsafe driving and 75% to reduce speeding. Encouraging citizens to report the driver to police was approved by 71% of drivers to reduce unsafe driving and 57% to reduce speeding. Road design changes were approved by 64% of drivers to reduce unsafe driving and 63% to reduce speeding.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
In the past year, only about one-third of drivers (35%) had seen or heard any public service announcements about speeding. Three drivers in five (61%) said they had not seen or heard a PSA in the past year and only 4% were not sure if they had seen or heard one.
|
FIGURE 2-3 
Qx: During the past year, have you seen or heard any public service announcements about speeding? Base: Total population of drivers Unweighted N=3,000 |
Although 35% of drivers had seen or heard a public service announcement about speeding in the past year, 69% of those drivers could not recall the slogan or anything else about the announcement. "Speed Shatters Life" was recalled by 7% who had seen or heard a PSA in the past year. "Don't Be a Dummy" was recalled by 5%. "Don't Drink and Drive" (2%), "Arrive Alive" (2%), "Buckle Up" (1%) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (1%) were also recalled by drivers who had seen a PSA in the past year. Eleven percent recalled some other slogans or topics about the PSA.
|
FIGURE 2-4 
Qx: Do you recall the slogan or anything else about the announcement? Base: Have seen or heard speeding PSA in past year. Unweighted N=1,036 |
Regardless of whether or not they had seen or heard a PSA in the past year, everyone was asked about their effect. Almost two-thirds of drivers (63%) say that when they see or hear something about speeding on the radio, television or in the newspapers it causes at least some effect on their driving. Indeed, 12% said it causes a lot of effect, 28% said some effect and 23% said a little effect. More than one-third (36%) said that seeing or hearing something about speeding causes no real effect in their driving.
SUMMARY
Drivers were asked to rate the effectiveness and acceptability of nine countermeasures for reducing unsafe driving and speeding. All of the proposed countermeasures were thought to be effective by a majority of drivers but those thought most effective were assigning more traffic enforcement, more frequent ticketing, doubling or tripling fines, and revoking licenses more often. Of the four thought to be most effective, only those relating to increased enforcement efforts were among those most acceptable to drivers. Increasing public awareness of the risks and encouraging passengers to say something to drivers were other countermeasures reported among those most acceptable. Interestingly, about two-thirds of respondents thought that saying something to drivers would be effective in reducing speeding and other unsafe driving behavior. This finding is consistent with the data reported in Volume II; Driver Attitudes and Behavior (Table 7-7, page 112), suggesting that speeding and other unsafe driving behavior is reduced when passengers say something to drivers.
