Speeding and deterrence: A comparative analysis of police officer enforcement and camera-based systems

Abstract

Police officers and camera-based enforcement systems are commonly used to enforce similar offences, yet there has been limited literature examining the differences in effectiveness of these enforcement types. As such, this study examined differences in deterrence, procedural justice and legitimacy perceptions between police and camera enforcement for speeding, as well as examined the unique effect of each enforcement method on speeding behaviour. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 2258 licensed drivers across four Australian states. The study compared perceptions of certainty, severity and swiftness of punishment as well as punishment avoidance, agreeance, fairness, trustworthy motives, and legitimacy across both enforcement types. Further, a series of 6 linear regressions were conducted to assess the unique impact of police and camera enforcement at three speeding offence ranges (1–10, 11–20, 20+ kmph over the limit). The results demonstrated drivers were more confident that camera-based systems would detect and sanction low and mid-range speeding, while police officers were viewed as more trustworthy, fairer, and legitimate. The use of camera enforcement deterred low-range speeding, while police officer enforcement did not significantly deter speeding of any range. Drivers who supported or agreed with the enforcement of speed limits reported lower offending rates. This study is the first to empirically compare the differential deterrent, procedural justice and legitimacy effects of police and camera-based speed enforcement. The findings highlight the need for a complementary enforcement strategy, integrating and leveraging the strengths of both methodologies to enhance driver deterrence and perceived legitimacy in enforcement efforts.