4.1 Communications and Outreach Supporting Enforcement
Effective, high-visibility communications and outreach are an essential part of successful speed and aggressive driving enforcement programs (NCHRP, 2003; NHTSA, 2000). All the examples discussed in Chapter 3, Sections 2.1, High-Visibility Enforcement, and 2.3, Other Enforcement Methods, used extensive communications campaigns to support their enforcement efforts. Most campaigns to date have not used paid advertising. The success of paid advertising in safety belt use campaigns (Chapter 2, Section 3.1) suggests that it is worth considering for speed and aggressive driving enforcement campaigns. Communications and outreach programs urging drivers to behave courteously or not to speed are unlikely to have any effect unless they are tied to vigorous enforcement (NCHRP, 2003, Strategy A2). Use: All aggressive driving and speed enforcement programs have a communications and outreach component. Effectiveness: No studies have evaluated how different communications and outreach strategies influence the effectiveness of speed and aggressive driving enforcement programs. The evidence from safety belt (Chapter 2, Sections 2.1, 2.2, and 3.1) and alcohol-impaired driving (Chapter 1, Sections 2.1 and 2.2) enforcement programs strongly suggests that good communications and outreach are essential to a successful enforcement program. See also NCHRP (2003, Strategy A2). Costs: Good media campaigns can be expensive. See Chapter 2, Section 3.1. Time to implement: An effective media campaign requires four to six months to plan and implement. |
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