Effectiveness and Efficiencies in Police Traffic Services Programs

Traynor, Brian G.; Searcy, William G.; Tarrants, William Eugene · 1982 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This 1982 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) technical report evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of police traffic services programs in the United States. The study addresses the persistent problem of motor vehicle crashes, noting that traffic law violations contribute to approximately 90 percent of all accidents, with alcohol impairment and speeding involved in 50 percent and 35 percent of fatal crashes, respectively. The primary motivation is to identify high-payoff program areas for continued federal funding assistance, categorizing initiatives based on their proven impact on crash reduction, potential for future success, or ability to improve operational efficiency. The report analyzes data accumulated by NHTSA and comments from state, county, and municipal agencies between 1966 and 1981. It groups police traffic services into four categories: programs proven effective, programs with significant potential, programs with efficiency-increasing potential, and catalytic projects. The analysis focuses on Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs (STEPs), which target specific violations—speeding, driving under the influence (DUI), and other unsafe driving acts—based on accident data regarding time and place. The report also examines systems support issues, including training, management, accident investigation, and data collection, highlighting deficiencies caused by the fragmentation of the 19,000+ law enforcement agencies in the U.S. The findings identify STEPs as the most effective countermeasure. Specific examples include Texas and Utah reporting significant reductions in fatalities through speed enforcement, and Massachusetts and Alabama demonstrating substantial decreases in alcohol-related crashes through targeted DUI enforcement. Other unsafe driving acts, such as following too closely, were also linked to successful crash reductions in cities like Tyler, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. The report identifies automated enforcement and aircraft enforcement as having significant potential but notes legal barriers for automated systems and cost considerations for aircraft. Furthermore, it concludes that inefficiencies in police operations stem largely from inconsistent training and lack of data sharing, suggesting that technical assistance, technology transfer, and standardized training are critical for improving cost-effectiveness. The significance of this report lies in its validation of selective enforcement as a primary tool for highway safety and its identification of systemic inefficiencies within the fragmented U.S. law enforcement structure. It argues that while enforcement strategies are effective, their success is limited by inconsistent management, poor accident investigation practices, and a lack of national data repositories. The report recommends continued federal support for programs that enhance training, facilitate technology transfer, and improve data collection to ensure that police traffic services can operate with greater efficiency and impact. It serves as a foundational evaluation for highway safety policy, emphasizing that reducing crashes requires not only targeted enforcement but also robust systems support to standardize and improve police operations nationwide.

Key finding

Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs targeting speeding, alcohol impairment, and other unsafe driving acts are proven effective in reducing traffic crashes and fatalities.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified_with_issues.

Topics

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• automated enforcement cameras
• regulatory evaluation
• dui enforcement
• driver education effectiveness

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation, policy recommendations
• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes