The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that a new research study from the NHTSA has confirmed high visibility enforcement (HVE) of traffic safety laws has a positive and measurable impact on road safety. HVE has shown it can help reduce dangerous driving behaviors that increase the risk of harm to road users and pedestrians.
High visibility enforcement combines multiple elements, from increased officer presence to publicity strategies and visibility tools like VMS (variable message signs), billboards, and static road signs. Along with checkpoints that may include B.A.T. (Breath Alcohol Testing) mobiles, the multi-prong approach to HVE appears effective. However, much can and does depend on targeted behavior.
Effective Behaviors to Focus on for HVE
When implementing a high visibility enforcement campaign, targeting specific behaviors can be most effective. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Transportation NHTSA Office of Behavioral Safety Research has cited the driving behaviors that contribute to a higher number of traffic fatalities are:
- Incorrect usage or not wearing a seat belt for adults and older children
- Incorrect usage or not using a booster or car seat for younger children and infants
- Distracted driving, in particular, cell phone usage
- Alcohol-impaired driving
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
Targeting these driving behaviors with high visibility enforcement efforts can save lives. For example, in 2020, there were nearly 24,000 passenger vehicle occupants killed in accidents and 51 percent of those individuals were not wearing a seat belt, states the NHTSA. Studies have shown that if you buckle up in a passenger car, the risk of death in an accident is reduced by 45 percent, and the risk of death in a light truck is reduced by 60 percent. The numbers don’t lie – seat belts save lives.
Products That Can Help with High Visibility Enforcement
When implementing a comprehensive high visibility enforcement campaign, let Kustom Signals be your team support with products designed specifically for you.
SMART Messaging Trailers
SMART messaging trailers work well for setting up roadside reminders to buckle up, reduce speed, and offer alerts regarding weather, unusual traffic patterns, and construction delays.VMS trailers can also be used in conjunction with efforts to decrease the rate of distracted and impaired driving on your roadways. Drivers who use their phones to text while driving suffer the same effects on their reaction time as if they had consumed four beers in one hour, reports Forbes. Distracted driving can be just as deadly as alcohol-impaired driving.
LaserCam 4
Along with signage, look to our LaserCam 4 as an essential tool for HVE. The LaserCam 4 provides high-performance photo and video LIDAR ideal for recording evidence of distracted, impaired, and aggressive driving. An available long-range yoke and polarizing filter enhance sight distance and the ability to view the interior of the car. The image resolution of the vehicle’s plate is easier to capture at greater ranges as well.
Handheld RADAR
Our handheld RADAR offers state-of-the-art technology with the high-level accuracy and durability your officers want. The Falcon HR and Directional Talon police speed guns are the quality products you know and want from Kustom Signals. Handheld RADAR tools from Kustom Signals can play an important role in high visibility enforcement and assist in capturing dangerous driving behaviors that can have a deadly impact.
Contact us today for a quote on any of these products for your high visibility enforcement initiatives and more.