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Police enforcement and driving speed

In the Netherlands, traffic rules are not sufficiently obeyed. Besides exceeding the speed limit, the use of safety devices, moped helmets, and red light running leave a lot to be desired.

 

The greater the subjective chance of being caught speeding, this is the estimate of how likely you are to be caught, the less speeding there will be. Police enforcement increases the subjective chance of being caught. In the Netherlands most of the police controls are carried out on roads with a high crash rate.

 

Studies have shown that speed controls with radar cars result in lower speeds and fewer crashes on rural roads. Average speed checks also lead to a drastic reduction in the number of speed offenders.

 

Mobile surveillance and halting vehicles has less influence on speeding, but is particularly important in tracing and punishing flagrant traffic offenders. It has been partly due to the 'Mulder law' in which the registration number holder and not the driver is held responsible for the offence, that offences nowadays are being dealt with and settled much faster; thus increasing the effectiveness of police enforcement.

 

In 1999 the regular police surveillance was extended with an intensified approach to traffic enforcement, part of which was speed control. At a number of locations, this has resulted in motorists abiding by the speed limit better.
 

For more details:

Fact sheet Police enforcement and driving speed (pdf)