The effects of police surveillance and law enforcement on driver behaviour

Police surveillance and enforcement activities can have a significant effect on the compliance of traffic rules and regulations. The extent to which road users are influenced by traffic law enforcement depends on the strategies used in police surveillance and on the efficiency of the punitive system. Although police surveillance can have limited and transient effects, the punitive system does not seem able to cope with the demands of the traffic system. Alternative approaches to traffic behaviour control are suggested that could have far greater impact on the behaviour of road users.