Weeklong Speed Enforcement Initiates in Palatinate: Authorities Strive to Curtail Racer Activities
In an effort to improve road safety, the Rheinpfalz Police Headquarters has announced increased speed checks in the Vorder- and Südpfalz regions. This initiative is part of the "Speed Control Week," a Europe-wide campaign by the non-governmental organization, ROADPOL, which consists of traffic police from EU member countries.
During these checks, frontal officers will use a laser pistol to detect increased speed, and if necessary, stop speeding drivers. The speed checks will not be limited to specific locations, but will take place across both regions.
Thorsten Mischler, a representative from the Rheinpfalz Police Headquarters, emphasized the importance of regularly raising awareness about appropriate driving. He noted that excessive speed is a major cause of accidents in Rhineland-Palatinate, and the "Speed Control Week" is aimed at reducing the number of fatalities and severe injuries on roads.
In April, during the "Speed Control Week," 8,000 vehicles were found to be speeding. Starting from Monday, the number of vehicles checked is expected to increase significantly. While direct public data on "stopping points" in Speed Control Week campaigns is limited, these enforcement actions have been shown to help reduce speeding and related accidents when combined with education and publicity campaigns.
Traffic calming strategies that include enforcement measures have consistently been effective in urban areas, particularly where statutory speed limits are in place but require compliance encouragement. Germany’s known high usage of speed cameras and police enforcement points suggests such interventions' effectiveness in general speed control.
Positive reinforcement approaches combined with real-time feedback have also been shown to result in sustained reductions in unsafe driving behaviors, including speeding. Although this evidence is more general and not region-specific, it underlines that enforcement combined with behavioral reinforcement improves long-term driver compliance.
It's important to note that the speed checks are not suitable for highways and expressways. Officers further back will be notified about speeding drivers detected by frontal officers and will stop the speeding drivers and confront them directly.
In 2024, over 2,600 accidents in Rhineland-Palatinate involved injuries due to excessive speed. The Rheinpfalz Police Headquarters is responsible for organizing these speed checks, and they hope that the increased enforcement will lead to a significant reduction in these numbers.
References:
[1] Behavioral Traffic Safety, "Traffic Calming Strategies for Reducing Speeding Behaviors," National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016.
[4] Transport Research Laboratory, "The Effectiveness of Speed Enforcement," Report No. TRL-LRT-029, 2007.
During the "Speed Control Week," traffic police will also focus on sports events or areas with high foot traffic, ensuring that these events remain safe for all participants. Meanwhile, drivers who consistently exceed the speed limit in urban areas may find themselves facing increased penalties, as enforcement efforts continue to prioritize safety and reduce accidents.
