Abstract
Speeding is a public health crisis that accounts for approximately onethird of roadway deaths each year in the United States. One countermeasure with clearly documented efficacy to reduce speed is automated speed enforcement (ASE). Public acceptance, however, has been marginal, with many drivers calling into question its need and legality. This project aimed to measure public rejection of ASE and to provide individualized information strategically to determine if opinions may be shifted more favorably as a result. Statistically significant movement on ASE opinion was achieved after respondents engaged with a tailored survey that addressed their particular concerns about ASE. Almost half (47%) of those who began with a neutral or negative opinion of ASE moved toward a more favorable opinion of it. Those who changed their opinion were more engaged (e.g., considered the opposite of their current stance more fully) and were persuaded by evidence of safety benefits that result from effective speed reduction with ASE deployment.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Operator Education and Regulation; Safe Mobility for Older Persons; Traffic Enforcement; Occupant Protection; Alcohol and Drugs |
| Publisher | National Research Council |
| Pages | 66-73 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Volume | 2660 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780309441797 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors acknowledge those who made this research possible. This study was funded by the Roadway Safety Institute, the University Transportation Center for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Region 5, which included Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Financial support was provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. Also, Spencer Peck was indispensable in his work as a research assistant during the first phase of the project, in which interviews were conducted that served as the foundation for the current research.