Traffic police enforcement is one of the preventative activities

to reduce road crashes. A main role of traffic enforcement is seen

as deterring road users from committing offences, which can be

related to road crashes and injuries.

According to the common concept of enforcement mechanism, in

general, three types of information can be analyzed to evaluate

the enforcement effects, i.e. data on changes in drivers’

behaviour, drivers’ attitudes and accidents. In this paper, a set

of guidelines for a systematic monitoring of police performance is

suggested that covers: the monitoring of driver behaviour through

the regular use of road user surveys; systematically measuring

enforcement activity and evaluating enforcement effects through

the monitoring of road user behaviour and through following

accident trends and accident analysis. (Shalom Hakkert)

Evaluation and development of the countermeasures that prevent

crashes is necessary for the improvement of traffic safety. A

mission of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is to reduce

highway fatalities by implementing the countermeasures organized

into the 4 E's of safety: engineering, enforcement, education, and

emergency medical services. The Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) spends

significant resources on enforcement of traffic laws within the

state. The primary responsibility of the WHP is defined as

providing safety on Wyoming state highways including the

interstates, U.S. highways, and state routes. The WHP officers

patrol over 6800 miles of highway in the state, including 900 miles

of interstate. Based on workload and high numbers of crashes, the

WHP may not have enough resources. WHP and other highway patrols

in the nation mainly consist of two sections: field operations

(sworn officers), who are in charge of safety on roadways,

and support services. (IATSS Research)

A study was undertaken to review the recent Australian and

international literature relating to traffic law enforcement. The

specific areas examined included alcohol, speed, seat belts,

helmet, illegal parking, drinking and eating, over speeding,

overtaking and signalised intersections. The review documents the

types of traffic enforcement methods and the range of options

available to policing authorities to increase the overall

efficiency (in terms of cost and human resources) and effectiveness

of enforcement operations. The review examines many of the issues

related to traffic law enforcement including the deterrence

mechanism, the effectiveness of legislation and the type of legal

sanctions administered to traffic offenders. The need to use

enforcement in conjunction with educational and

environmental/engineering strategies is also stressed. The use of

educational programs and measures targeted at modifying the

physical and social environment is also briefly reviewed. The

review highlights the importance of developing enforcement

strategies designed to maximize deterrence whilst increasing both

the perceived and actual probability of apprehension. The use of

Random Breath Testing (RBT), automated speed and red light

enforcement cameras and selective enforcement programs are

highlighted. The need for publicity to support enforcement

operations, police training and education programs is also

documented. The review concludes with a series of recommendations

regarding the most promising options available to authorities to

improve the effectiveness of traffic law enforcement operations.

(D Zaal)
Manufacturers are required by law to design and engineer cars that

meet a minimum safety standard. While advancements are being made

every day to improve the safety and efficiency of automobiles on

the road, problems with the design and functionality of the cars

themselves — sometimes referred to as product liability — is one

of the top causes of car accidents on the road.

Manufacturing defects can lead to very serious auto accidents. As

such, you should be aware of the typical design defects, as well

as how to prevent a car accident. Brake Failures Result in Major

Car Accidents Modern dual-circuit brake systems have made total

brake failure an unlikely event. If one side of the brake circuit

fails, the other side can sufficiently stop the car. Disc brakes,

found on the front wheels of nearly every car built today, are

significantly more effective than older drum braking systems, which

can fade when hot. Anti-Blockier System (ABS) or anti-lock brakes

prevent the wheels from locking up during emergency braking

maneuvers, allowing modern automobiles to avoid many car accidents

that might have occurred in the past due to brake failure.

Defective Tires Can Cause Car Accidents the radial tires

manufactured today are significantly safer than the bias-ply tires

produced 25 years ago. Problems can still occur, mainly due to air

pressure or tire traction. Under-inflated tires are the top cause

of tire blowouts. Uneven or worn-out tires caused by improperly

balanced tires and misaligned or broken suspensions can put any

car on an unintended path that may cause a car accident. Your tires

keep you connected to the roadway. If you do not know how to check

your own tires then have a certified car mechanic check them every

5,000 miles. Poor Steering & Suspension Can Lead to Car Accidents

Your suspension keeps your tires in contact with the roadway in a

stable and predictable manner while the steering mechanisms enable

you to go around road obstacles and avoid potential accidents.

Even a safe, well-trained driver is helpless in the event of a

steering or suspension system failure. To ensure your automobile

is operating safely in terms of suspension and steering, have your

vehicle checked out by a mechanic every 10,000 miles. (Pine

Solomon).

Although automobile safety has improved considerably over the last

several decades, vehicle defects still cause car accidents.

Vehicle factors were the critical reason for 44,000 of the 2.2

million accidents reviewed in the National Motor Vehicle Crash

Causation Survey, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA).

One recent example of an auto defect involves problems with

ignition switches on some models of GM cars. According to a CBS

News article, GM is paying out compensation to the families of at

least 64 people who died in accidents caused by GM’s defective

ignition switch. As reported, the switch could slip out of the

“on” position, cutting the engine and disabling the air bags and

power steering. Common Types of Auto Defects Automobile and

automotive parts manufacturers are required to comply with Federal

Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations issued by NHTSA.

Millions of vehicles and auto parts have been recalled by NHTSA

for failure to meet those standards. Some examples of safety-

related defects listed by NHTSA include: Accelerators that stick

or break, Air bags that deploy when they should not, Electrical

system problems that cause fires or loss of lights, Wheels that

crack or break, causing loss of control of the vehicle, Steering

components that break and cause loss of vehicle control, Fuel

system components susceptible to crash damage that leak and cause

fires, Windshield wiper assemblies that do not work properly, Seats

or seatbacks that fail unexpectedly, Tires or other critical

vehicle components that break, fall apart or separate from the

vehicle, causing potential for loss of control of the vehicle and

injury to people in or out of the vehicle, Types of Injuries

Resulting from Defective Vehicles Defective vehicles and auto parts

can cause accidents and injuries in two different ways: When a

defective vehicle is the actual cause of the accident – such as

when the steering fails, an airbag deploys unexpectedly, a tire

blows out or the ignition cuts off, causing the driver to lose

control of the vehicle. When vehicle defects cause injuries in a

crash to be more serious that they would have been otherwise –

such as when an airbag fails, a seat belt fails, the vehicle rolls

over when it swerves or the roof collapses when the vehicle rolls

over. Liability and Compensation for Auto Defects

Automobile and auto parts manufacturers have a duty to ensure that

their products are reasonably safe, or to adequately warn consumers

if there are dangers, whether current or discovered later. When

they fail in this duty, an injured party may be entitled to file

a product liability lawsuit to recover damages for injuries caused

by the defective product. Depending on the circumstances, an auto

defect injury claim may be filed against the automobile

manufacturer, the manufacturer of the defective part, the company

that distributed the vehicle, the car dealer or others.

Injured victims of car accidents caused by automotive defects may

be entitled to file a claim to pursue compensation for medical

expenses, property damage, lost wages, pain and suffering, and

other damages. In some exceptional cases, it may also be possible

to recover punitive damages, which are intended to punish a

responsible party. (Kraft and Associate).