Managing the speed crash risk

The driving error of improper speed has been identified as a leading cause of traffic crashes and associated losses. Excessive speed is particularly prevalent in fatal and other serious crashes. Society has taken formal action to control the crash risk posed by speeding; the earliest such response and the one most used today is the legal approach that rests on the concept of deterrence. In most jurisdictions criminal or criminal-like procedures are used to enforce speeding laws: police officers are deployed to observe for speeders; suspected violators are pursued and apprehended; and offenders are referred to judicial or administrative tribunals to determine guilt or innocence. A variety of patrol configurations, vehicles, and speed-measuring devices (chiefly radar) are used by police agencies to enforce speeding laws. Speed enforcement as currently carried out is labor intensive and costly, principally because legal requirements stemming from the use of criminal law and procedures must be followed. For traditional enforcement procedures to effectively deter speeding, large increases in funds and personnel would be required. Therefore, strategies other than the legal approach for managing the speed crash risk should be considered.