High-Visibility Law Enforcement
VI.
High-Visibility Enforcement (HVE) is a universal traffic safety approach (3) designed to create deterrence and change unlawful traffic behaviors. HVE combines highly visible and proactive law enforcement targeting a specific traffic safety issue with a specific communications campaign to educate on safe travel behavior. It combines enforcement, visibility elements, and a public relations strategy to educate the public and promote voluntary compliance with the law. Checkpoints, saturation patrols and other HVE strategies should include increased publicity and warnings to the public. Although forewarning the public might seem counterproductive to apprehending violators, it increases the deterrent effect. HVE incorporates enforcement strategies, such as enhanced patrols (i.e. saturation patrols) using visibility elements (e.g., electronic message boards, road signs, command posts, Breath Alcohol Test (BAT) mobiles, etc.) designed to make enforcement efforts obvious to the public. It is supported by a coordinated communication and public awareness strategy. HVE may also be enhanced through multi- and jurisdictional efforts and partnerships between people organizations dedicated to the safety of their community. The High-Visibility Enforcement message must emphasize enforcement targeting a specific traffic safety problem. To enhance the visibility of your enforcement, MADD recommends using a combination of ways to alert the public of your efforts and choose multiple, not just one, method. Even if you are unable to support your enforcement with paid media, you can effectively publicize it by sending press releases to all local media outlets and utilizing various social media platforms. Your publicity should always include pre-event, during, and post-event messaging. MADD invites law enforcement to consider dedicating their HVE efforts in honor of a victim or survivor of a substance impaired driving crash. MADD’s rich history has influenced public perception of drunk driving, putting faces to the statistics helps highlight that these crashes are not “accidents” but rather instances of avoidable violence and that the crime of drunk and drugged driving is not “victimless.” This will reinforce the dangers of substance impaired driving. Utilizing victim and survivor stories and sharing statistical information related to crashes in the area of directed enforcement will also help gain the public’s support for such enforcement action.
A saturation patrol is an increased number of police officers patrolling a specific area to look for impaired driving behavior, especially at times and in locations where impaired driving is more common. When implemented fully, saturation patrols are well publicized and regularly (4) conducted. Just like sobriety checkpoints, the goal of saturation patrols is to increase the perceived likelihood that impaired driving will be identified and penalized, leading to a (5) reduction in impaired driving. Saturation patrols are sometimes used when sobriety checkpoints are restricted by state or local laws.
North Carolina DOT released BAT Mobiles, fully equipped for law enforcement to test and process individuals driving while impaired.
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Mothers Against Drunk Driving ®
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