The positive effect of traffic enforcement on Dutch motorways on road safety can be improved by more targeted use of radar controls on high-risk roads. In addition, more intensive traffic surveillance improves safety by monitoring high-risk violations, such as handheld smartphone use and excessive speed.

Moreover, better feedback of the effects of radar controls can lead to faster adjustments to those controls. This is evident from research carried out by SWOV in collaboration with the police on behalf of the Police and Science Research Program. More intensive traffic enforcement is necessary because the number of registered road accidents has increased in recent years. The majority of road users understand intensified traffic enforcement for high-risk violations.

Although motorways are relatively safe roads, the development of road safety on these roads has been unfavorable in recent years: the number of registered accidents has increased in recent years. Accidents on motorways are caused, among other things, by unsafe driving behavior such as driving too fast, the use of alcohol and / or drugs and distraction. Recent figures indicate that such unsafe driving behavior frequently occurs on motorways. In this context, experts draw attention to the importance of adequate traffic enforcement.

SWOV, the national institute for scientific road safety research, has investigated how the current approach to traffic enforcement on Dutch motorways can be optimized. The approach looked at the effectiveness, efficiency and acceptance by citizens. To this end, the policy and current traffic enforcement practice have been analyzed and pilots have been carried out with intensified supervision. Road users were also asked whether they understand intensified traffic enforcement.

The conclusion is that targeted enforcement of risky driving behavior can lead to safer traffic behavior and fewer accidents. However, in 2017, three quarters of the locations for radar control were chosen partly because of the investigation of general crime. Better monitoring of the effects of radar checks could lead to a better adjustment of the radar checks and thus have a positive effect on road safety.

In addition to radar checks, detentions are still required, whereby the police check for risky traffic behavior, such as speeding and using the smartphone handheld. The interviews with drivers show that there is an understanding of the need for intensified traffic enforcement.

SWOV collaborated in this investigation with the Team Electronic Traffic Control (EVT) of the National Unit of the police. The report can be downloaded for free as a PDF or as an E-book from the website www.politieenweterschap.nl.

Evaluation of the working method of the Team EVT, the effects and the acceptance of police checks (2019). Dr. Ch. Goldenbeld, Dr. A. Stelling-Konczak, S. van der Kint, MSc Police Science 113

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