SPEED REINFORCEMENT
WRECK-LESS DRIVING ©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist
SPEED REINFORCEMENT
DARTMOUTH, NS: An avid believer in driver behavior modification by use of reward, feedback and reinforcement rather than fear and punishment is the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Police Department. In the nineteen eighties it ran a very successful multi-year speeding reduction experiment. A hidden, unmarked car and a radar gun in a trash can were stationed in several locations to randomly sample highway speeds. The weekly results were displayed on large roadway signs, for example, "Drivers Not Speeding Last Week 90%. Best Record 95%."
Speeding was reduced by 50%, crashes by 42%, injuries by over 66%, and damage costs by 38%. In comparison, marked car surveillance and citations reduced speeding by only 8%.
Speeding is a self-regulating behavior which is affected by how we are treated. Feedback (the weekly record of how well drivers are doing) and positive reinforcement (the sign's recognition that the drivers can do it) and the goal to surpass (Best Record) worked together to cause most drivers to do more of the same. There was created in the drivers a desire to be in the group being recognized by the large highway sign. These are well-known ways to obtain willing quality performance in any human task. They are widely used in industry and business and also very successful where used in schools.
In Dartmouth the reduction in speeding continued for many years as long as the sign program was maintained. The Police authorities stated that these postings cost much less and were more effective than the punishment methods of patrolling and ticketing. Also police public relations were much improved in other authority related situations. Asheville, NC has used a stationary roadside sign “praise” program to improve the use of safety belts.
Why then is this “reward” system not used everywhere?
GHD89 all rights reserved. wellnessebooks.com/ebookstore.asp
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist
SPEED REINFORCEMENT
DARTMOUTH, NS: An avid believer in driver behavior modification by use of reward, feedback and reinforcement rather than fear and punishment is the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Police Department. In the nineteen eighties it ran a very successful multi-year speeding reduction experiment. A hidden, unmarked car and a radar gun in a trash can were stationed in several locations to randomly sample highway speeds. The weekly results were displayed on large roadway signs, for example, "Drivers Not Speeding Last Week 90%. Best Record 95%."
Speeding was reduced by 50%, crashes by 42%, injuries by over 66%, and damage costs by 38%. In comparison, marked car surveillance and citations reduced speeding by only 8%.
Speeding is a self-regulating behavior which is affected by how we are treated. Feedback (the weekly record of how well drivers are doing) and positive reinforcement (the sign's recognition that the drivers can do it) and the goal to surpass (Best Record) worked together to cause most drivers to do more of the same. There was created in the drivers a desire to be in the group being recognized by the large highway sign. These are well-known ways to obtain willing quality performance in any human task. They are widely used in industry and business and also very successful where used in schools.
In Dartmouth the reduction in speeding continued for many years as long as the sign program was maintained. The Police authorities stated that these postings cost much less and were more effective than the punishment methods of patrolling and ticketing. Also police public relations were much improved in other authority related situations. Asheville, NC has used a stationary roadside sign “praise” program to improve the use of safety belts.
Why then is this “reward” system not used everywhere?
GHD89 all rights reserved. wellnessebooks.com/ebookstore.asp
posted by WRECK-LESS at Sunday, October 16, 2005
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