How to reduce the number of traffic accidents?
A fine in the equivalent of several tens of thousands of zlotys for speeding - such high fines threaten drivers who violate traffic rules in Switzerland and Finland. In addition to high fines, in many countries you have to consider the possibility of losing your driver's license, insurance discount and even arrest. Will such restrictions apply on Polish roads?
The results of a study conducted by the research center TNS Pentor within the framework of the project “Speed kills. Turn on the thinking “show that according to 49 percent. For Polish drivers, stricter penalties may motivate them to limit speed. More than 43 percent believe it can be effective to revoke a driver's license for speeding. On the other hand, the same drivers emphasize that the impact of police checks and speed cameras on the speed limit is temporary and limited to driving in the speed control zone. Moreover, according to a large number of respondents, speed cameras even threaten road safety by forcing drivers to brake hard and accelerate to catch up with slower driving.
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The short-term effect of speeding tickets makes it necessary to look for a more effective way to convince Polish drivers to step off the gas. The propensity to drive a car quickly stems from the internal attitudes of Polish drivers, which have not changed for years. These include the widespread acceptance of speeding and the belief that you can drive quickly and safely. On the other hand, Poles are urged to slow down only by external factors on the road, such as bad weather or the condition of the road surface. However, they bring a short-term effect and in no way encourage the Poles to constantly limit speed. Even the traumatic experience gained as a result of accidents is not able to discourage them from driving fast. In order to effectively improve road safety, drivers' attitudes need to change, which is what the next edition of the Speed Kills. Speed kills. Turn on your thinking."
As the results of the TNS Pentor study show, even participation in a traffic accident does not significantly change the driving style of Polish drivers. Surprisingly, almost 50 percent. of the respondents who participated in the accident admit that they drove carefully only for some time after the accident, then they return to their old habits. Despite the strong emotions that accompany these events, their impact on changes in road behavior is unfortunately short-lived, says road safety expert Jerzy Szymlowski.
Social campaign "Speed kills". Turn on your thinking,” implemented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Council, aims to permanently change the behavior of both drivers and passengers. The aim of the campaigns is also to create the attitude of a conscious and cultured road user that respects the rights of other road users.
The tendency to drive fast and overspeed is common among drivers and is a consequence of their internal attitudes. It is the settings that awaken the dormant demons of speed in us, influence the constant violation of traffic rules and give rise to the tragic statistics of traffic accidents. To counteract this, it is necessary to carry out long-term educational activities that affect the internal attitudes of drivers, and not those that bring only a temporary effect. First of all, drivers should be aware of the mechanisms that determine their inappropriate behavior on the road and change their views on speeding. says Andrzej Markowski, traffic psychologist.
This year the campaign starts on June 1st and will run until August of this year. It will cover the spring travel and holiday period, which is especially dangerous on Polish roads, mainly due to increased traffic and favorable weather conditions. Between June and August, it reaches over 31 percent. all accidents per year. In 2010, more than 1,2 thousand people died during these months. people.
The activities of this year's campaign will cover the entire territory of Poland. The commercials will be broadcast on nationwide TV and radio stations. The campaign will also be widely featured in the press and online. It will also be accompanied by public relations activities, including the organization of events within the framework of mass events.
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“It is worth trying to comprehensively influence the change in behavior on the road. We want to address the internal motives that govern the actions of road users and consistently strive to improve the situation on Polish roads by gradually and constantly changing their attitude. We would like safe driving, at a reasonable speed and appropriately adapted to the conditions, to be in line with the inner convictions of drivers,” says Katarzyna Turska, Director of the Secretariat of the National Road Safety Council.
“Speed kills. Turn Your Thinking On is a social campaign run by the National Road Safety Council to educate road users that speed is a major factor in the tragic consequences of road traffic crashes. The activities carried out as part of the campaign between April and August 2011 should lead to an irreversible change in the behavior of both drivers and passengers. The aim of the campaigns is also to create the attitude of a conscious and cultured road user that respects the rights of other road users. The campaign will use various communication tools to highlight the issue and draw attention to the fact that the issue affects the entire society.
