Analyzing the Effectiveness of Enhanced Penalty Zones and Police Enforcement as Freeway Speed-Control Measures

Speeding has been well recognized as an important contributing factor to traffic crashes. Past research also indicates that driver behavior related to speeding is influenced by both the risk and the consequences of being caught for violations. Correspondingly, the deterrents for speed violations can be in one of two major forms: (1) Police enforcement of speed limits (determines the risk of getting caught) and (2) Severity of the punishment for violation of speed limits (determines the consequences of getting caught). The intent of our study is to examine the simultaneous impacts of enforcement (by police officers) and increased penalties on freeway speeds and crashes using data from the Enhanced Penalty Zones (EPZs) established by the 2006 Florida Legislature on Interstate 95 in three counties in Florida. The data on enforcement activities will be collected during this study period by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a matching partner in this project.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $50000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  RO1-1313-143

  MRI-4

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Department of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Performing Organizations:

  Southeastern Transportation Center

  University of Tennessee
  309 Conference Center Building
  Knoxville, TN  United States  37996-4133
• Principal Investigators:

  Srinivasan, Siva

• Start Date: 20100101
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20110630
• Source Data: RiP Project 25549

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash severity; Fines (Penalties); Speed limits; Speed measurement; Traffic crashes; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic speed
• Uncontrolled Terms: Double fines (Penalties)
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01461600
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Southeastern Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: RO1-1313-143, MRI-4
• Files: UTC, RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 1:49PM