Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121803

Jingyi Li, MD, MS¹, Saranath Lawpoolsri, MD, DTM& H¹, and Elisa Braver, PhD². (1) Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 100 N. Greene S. Suite 526, Baltimore, MD 21201-1563, 410-706-2239, jli005@umaryland.edu, (2) Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore, National Study Center for Trauma & EMS, 701 W. Pratt St., Rm. 526, Baltimore, MD 21201

Objective: Speeding citations and associated penalties are the most common enforcement tools to deter speeding, yet little is known about the effectiveness of a speeding citation. The effects of being cited for speeding as well as the types of legal consequences on drivers' subsequent speeding behavior are examined in this study. Methods: A cohort of 3,739,951 Maryland licensed drivers were identified and followed for one year. Drivers were categorized by whether or not they received a speeding citation (irrespective of receipt of penalties) in May, 2002. Among those who received a speeding citation, drivers were classified according to penalties received. The RR and 95% CI of receiving a speeding citation during the follow-up period were compared between ticketed and non-ticketed drivers as well as among different penalty groups. Results: Drivers who received a speeding citation had almost twice the risk of receiving a subsequent speeding citation, compared with those not cited in May, 2002 (adjusted RR 1.6,95%CI 1.52-1.68). Legal consequences failed to reduce the risk of receiving a subsequent speeding citation (RR 0.98,95%CI 0.83-1.16). Moreover, the risk of repeat violations was significantly lower among drivers who received fines and probation before judgment (PBJ), which allows drivers to avoid points on their driving records if they are not ticketed again within a year, than among those who escaped legal consequences (RR 0.81,95%CI 0.67-0.99). Receiving fines and points, the more severe penalty, did not deter future speeding violations, in comparison with those who escaped legal consequences (RR 1.05,95%CI 0.88-1.24). Conclusions: Speeding citations and points on the driving record may be ineffective in changing some drivers' behavior. PBJ may be more effective in reducing speeding than more severe penalties. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and understand more about the group of people who repeatedly are ticketed for speeding.

Learning Objectives: Participants will

• Learn about speeding as a public health problem.
• Recognize the limitations of current speed law enforcement techniques.
• Identify groups at high risk for dangerous driving behavior.
• Understand the need for further research on preventing speeding.
• Identify potential strategies that may be more effective in deterring speeding.

Keywords: Injury Prevention, Motor Vehicles

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation