Attitudes and perceptions of traffic safety enforcement among police officers in Canada

High risk driving, (e.g., speeding, impaired, and distracted driving), is a major contributing factor to most traffic collision fatalities in Canada. An increase in perceived risk of being caught by police for risky driving has been shown to reduce the behaviour. Differences in the commitment to and effectiveness of enforcement is strongly impacted by the attitudes and behaviours of police officers toward road safety. A recent U.S. survey found that front line police officers often expressed doubts about the value of such enforcement, resulting in officers doing only minimal traffic safety enforcement. The proposed research attempts to determine the attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and actions of officers relating to traffic enforcement in Canada. Recommendations to the policing community concerning strategies to increase traffic safety enforcement, and thus deter high risk driving, will be developed based on study findings. Outcomes of the proposed research will benefit the partner organization (CARSP) to better serve its members by expanding its services to road safety enforcement and by extension, road safety advocacy.

Faculty Supervisor:

Babak Mehran

Student:

Partner:

The Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

University of Manitoba

Program: