Almost ten percent fewer fines for traffic violations in the past year. That seems like a positive development. But did we really start driving? According to traffic psychologist Gerard Tertoolen not. “There are very often traffic violations. People are very impatient in traffic.”
“A car does a lot with us,” explains the traffic psychologist. “We are confronted with the deeper side of ourselves. Driving gives a certain degree of power, the feeling that you have the car completely under control. You conquer a piece of asphalt and then it is very annoying when people are in the way. All Irritations that occur in people every day are magnified in the car. “
Last year, 41,405 flash fines were distributed in Drenthe to speed drivers and people who, for example, reasoned by red. A year earlier that were 45,316 fines. National a decrease was also attributed to fixed speed cameras that were replaced. As a result, they were temporarily out.
There are thirteen fixed speed cameras in our province. The Public Prosecution Service determines where they will be. They are usually placed in places where many accidents occur or violations take place, places where something is wrong. “You might think that motorists should now know those speed cameras. But apparently we are not well alert to where those flash units are,” says Tertoolen. “Several people also fall for it twice.”
Due to the decreased number of traffic fines, the traffic psychologist does not immediately see a change in traffic behavior. “There is little reason for pleasure for this and I would not want to call the fall in traffic fines. But who knows this will continue and we can look at it positively. This is at least a positive signal.”
But whether this will continue in the coming years is questionable. Because of the population growth it will only get busier on the roads and that will lead to more irritations. “That can go more undesirable behavior,” thinks Tertoolen, although he also sees something positive in the busy roads. “As a result, we are more and more detained. And if it is certain, not so many accidents happen.”