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Number 83 January 1995

U.S. Department of Transportation

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590

TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT

SAVING LIVES AND COMBATING CRIME

Law enforcement agencies across the country are taking steps to address their community's needs in combating crime. Limited personnel, increased requests for services, and

rising violent crime rates are common in many communities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believes that a strong traffic enforcement program

will reduce the daily toll of death and injury on our nation's highways and, at the same time, combat crime as well.

In 1993, 40,115 people died in motor vehicle crashes while 24,530 were victims of homicides. Motor vehicle crashes cost approximately $137 billion annually compared to $19

billion each year for victims of personal and household crimes. In the United States, one highway fatality occurs every 13 minutes; one murder occurs every 21 minutes.

Crime Clock NHTSA believes that traffic enforcement not only saves lives, injuries, and dollars, it also supplements many criminal enforcement activities. NHTSA has

prepared a short brochure about traffic enforcement and crime, reporting facts from the Bureau of Justice Services, the FBI, and NHTSA. Twelve law enforcement agencies

and state highway safety offices contributed to developing the brochure.

The brochure highlights successful traffic enforcement programs conducted throughout the country. There are statistics, facts, and anecdotal information. It also discusses

specific traffic enforcement programs such as:

■ Selected Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP)

■ Aggressive Criminal Enforcement (ACE)

■ Drug Interdiction Assistance Program (DIAP)

■ Saturation Patrols

■ Routine Traffic Enforcement

The brochure can be used by law enforcement executives and elected public officials to show the relationship between traffic enforcement, crime, and public safety. For

example, law enforcement officers who arrest drunk or drugged drivers prevent other deaths, injuries and violent crimes. In 1993, 17,461 people died in alcohol-related traffic

crashes; 56% of inmates jailed for violent crimes were drinking or using drugs when they committed their crime; and 13% of inmates committed offenses to get money for

drugs. This brochure will help show how traffic enforcement can help in the fight against crime.

For a copy of Saving Lives and Combating Crime, write to Police Traffic Services, NHTSA, NTS-41, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590, or send a fax to (202) 366-

7721.

1994 Traffic Tech Issues

January May August

No.59 Police Costs Associated with Administrative

License Revocation

No.68 Uniform Pre-Hospital Emergency

Medical Services Data Conference

No.76 Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention in Highway

Safety and Public Health Agencies

No.60 Reducing Young Drivers' Risk Taking Through

Training

No.69 The Effects of Publicizing Insurance

Sanctions as a Countermeasure for DWI

No.77 Evaluation of Vehicle Plate Sticker Laws in

Oregon and Washington

No.61 Innovative State and Community Traffic Safety

Projects

February June September

No.62 Marijuana Effects on Actual Driving Performance No.70 Developing A Designated Driver Program No.78 A Resource Manual for Public Information

and Education in Emergency Medical

Services

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January May August

No. 63 ,Responses of Women and Men to Traffic Safety

Messages

No.71 Personnel Allocation Manual and User's

Guide: Municipal Police Departments

No.72 Fostering Proper Use of Toddler Safety

Seats Through Law Enforcement and

Education

March July October

No.64 Traffic Safety Summit II Final Report No.73 Review of Community Traffic Safety

Programs

No.79 Research Agenda for an Improved Novice

Driver Education Program

No.65 Emergency Medical Services System Development:

Results of the Statewide EMS Assessment Program

No.74 Safety Information Materials and Media

Plans for Older Pedestrians

No.75 Revised Emergency Medical TechnicianBasic: National Standard Curriculum

April November

No.66 Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety: A Review of Key

Program and Countermeasure Developments

during the 1980's

No.80 Computing a BAC Estimate

No.67 WALK ALERT: A National Pedestrian Safety

Program Guide

No.81 Emergency Medical Services Outcomes

Evaluation: An Examination of Key Issues

and Future Directions

U.S. Department of Transportation

National Highway

Traffic Safety

Administration

400 Seventh Street, S.W. NTS-33

Washington, DC 20590

Traffic Tech is a publication to disseminate information about traffic safety programs, including evaluations, innovative programs, and new publications. Feel free to copy it as

you wish.

If you would like to receive a copy contact:

Linda Cosgrove, Ph.D., Editor,

Evaluation Staff Traffic Safety Programs

(202) 366-2759

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, West Building, Washington, DC 20590 USA 1-888-327-4236 TTY:1-800-424-9153

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