NCJ Number
14418
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 22 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1974) Pages: 14,16-18,20
Date Published
1974
Length
5 pages
Annotation
EFFECTIVENESS OF EFFORTS TO REDUCE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN A CONNECTICUT CITY AND PRESENTS COMPARATIVE STATISTICS FOR 1971, 1972, AND 1973.
Abstract
DURING THE PERIOD 1971-1973 THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT REDUCED THE ACCIDENT RATE IN THE CITY BY 43.7 PERCENT. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH AN AGGRESSIVE TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN EMPLOYING TWO ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CARS EQUIPPED WITH VASCAR, A SEMI-AUTOMATED SPEED DETERMINATION SYSTEM. IN 1971 TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WERE REDUCED 2.2 PERCENT THROUGH THE USE OF SPECIAL 'ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION' CRUISERS AND AN S-5 RADAR UNIT. A NEW RECORDS KEEPING SYSTEM INSTITUTED IN 1972 KEPT DAILY BREAKDOWNS OF ACCIDENTS BY TYPE AND OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY. THESE GRAPHS ACTED AS AN IMPETUS TO THE MEN ON THE TRAFFIC DIVISION TO INCREASE EFFORTS TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS EVEN FURTHER THROUGH TRAFFIC LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT WAS ALSO IN THIS YEAR THAT THE VASCAR UNITS WERE INSTALLED. AT THE END OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1972 AN ACCIDENT REDUCTION OF 22 PERCENT HAD BEEN ACHIEVED OVER THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE YEAR BEFORE. INCREASED ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY DURING 1972 SHOWED UP PRIMARILY IN NON-ACCIDENT-RELATED TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, PRIMARILY SPEEDING. DURING 1973, THE TRAFFIC DIVISION, USING THE SAME SIZE STAFF, EQUIPMENT, RECORDSKEEPING DEVICES, AND TACTICS REPEATED ITS ACCIDENTREDUCING PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR BEFORE.