When restriction means life

Due to several regulations in the Danish driving license system, in 35 years the number of killed in traffic accidents have decreased 66%. By Lander Arbelaitz 

“We have more cars because we want freedom of movement and as our economy is strong, we buy cars”. The director of the Danish Road Directoratet —the organization to manage the national roads—, Sven Krarup Nielsen, used these words to explain the fact that Denmark has twice as many cars it had 35 years ago. The increasing of private cars is a phenomenon we are used to see in almost all the countries. But that often mean more traffic accidents. In order to prevent this, during more than 30 years the Danish government has made different restrictive laws and the number of killed is going down every year.

 The Spanish government’s decision to change the driver’s licence system created a big polemic in the Basque Country and in Spain. The main reason was to decrease the accidents on road and the public opinion was divided. Some found it the possibility to lose the driver’s licence in one single day too restrictive. On the other hand, others found correct every measure to decrease the number of killed on road. After two months, the fact that the number of accidents went down has been the best support to the government to justify the change. This system is used in several countries, for example Denmark started using a similar one a year ago and people in general are happy with it. Since 1971, the number of mortal traffic accidents is continuously decreasing in Denmark. In 1970 there were 1.200 killed people and the government decided to do something. Two of the decisions taken were the introduction of speed limits and mandatory use of seatbelts. Since that year, the mortality rate on the road started going down. In 2005, the number decreased to a number that 35 years earlier it would be unbelievable: 331 dead. That means that the number of killed per 100.000 inhabitants in Denmark is 6,8. According to Eustat –Basque Statistics Office–, in the Basque Country the number of killed per 100.000 inhabitants last year was 8,8.  Despite the number of killed was little by little going down, the Danish government decided the introduction of a new punishment system. The penalty point system took effect on 1^st September 2005. It is used for violations of the traffic regulations that do not involve confiscation of the driving licence, but are dangerous. There is a list with 18 actions and if the police officers see you doing one of these, you have a cut in your driving license card. The change in law means that in addition to a fine, the offender also gets one penalty point. Each point is valid for three years, and then, it is deleted. Sven Krarup Nielsen thinks it is a very good system because it works. “People don’t want to lose the driver’s license”. The Danish Road Safety Council (TDRS) is a private association of authorities and national organisations in Denmark. The Council works to increase public road safety through information and traffic education. They aim for the public to gain knowledge and understanding of the aspects of road safety. They have four main initiative areas: accidents at too high speed, drunken driving accidents, accidents in crossings and accidents with cyclists. They are very happy with the new system because they think it helped to decrease the number of accidents. “It is the most successful change ever. It is dramatically successful. The number of accidents has dropped”, said Pernille Ehlers. The director of the Danish Road Directoratet is also happy with this system and he says it has been a success. However, his opinion is that in two years they will have to change it and put a little bit stronger; for example, to take off a point for not using the seatbelt. 

The safety of the cars and drivers’ change of behaviour have been the keys to decrease the number of killed in opinion of TDRS. “Nowadays everybody uses the seatbelt and the number of drivers under the influence of alcohol has dropped”. On the other hand, Sven Krarup Nielsen thinks that it is important that they did a plan with restrictive measures and that the national and local organizations follow it.

 Sanction or education 

“The most effective measure is the police control, without any doubt”, told us Pernille Ehlers. “The drivers think that if they don’t use the seatbelt, the police will catch them, so they use it”. She thinks drivers are afraid of losing the points, so they respect the law. In her opinion, the education also is important, but it is more effective the sanction. Sven Krarup Nielsen thinks sanction and education go hand to hand, but he agrees that the sanction is more effective. “The best example is that when someone loses a point and arrives home, he reads again the booklet with the rules to learn what can’t he do in order to keep on driving.

 

Pernille Ehlers is happy because nowadays in Denmark there are much more police controls. She thinks that if people see the police, they pay more attention while they are driving.

  

Optimistic future

 

On 1946 the number of killed in traffic accidents was 312. After that, 2005 has been the best year with 331 fatalities. However, last year there were 20 times as many cars there were on 1946. “For the year 2012 the number of killed will be under 200, and we will work on that”, confirms Sven. Due to the number of killed people on road is going down, Pernille also is optimistic referring to the future. “All the politicians and the police agree that we have to continue the way we started, so I am optimistic”. Nevertheless, she thinks they have to ambitious and that they have to keep on working in order to decrease even more the statistics.