Perceptions and Impacts of Speeding Laws and Policies in Minnesota

September 15, 2016

About the Seminar

Numerous studies have shown that driving at a speed that exceeds the design speed of a road—and that wide variations of speeds between drivers—can increase the number and severity of crashes. To address this safety issue, states have passed laws regulating the speeds people may drive on a given road and have given law enforcement agencies the authority to enforce these laws. Despite this power, however, there is a lack of consensus and acceptance regarding the certainty and method of enforcing these laws. One particularly controversial method is automated speed enforcement (ASE). 

This presentation discussed the nature of the controversy, with a focus on why ASE has not been implemented in Minnesota. In addition, the presentation raised the question of whether the certainty of punishment affects driving behavior and crashes, using Minnesota's "Dimler Law" as a starting point for discussion.

Webcast

About the Speaker

Frank Douma is the director of the State and Local Policy Program at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and a research scholar at the Center for Transportation Studies, both located at the University of Minnesota. He manages research projects related to several areas of transportation policy, including impacts of developments in information and communications technologies and urban corridor development.