The police will hold an intensive enforcement operation of driver behaviour in traffic this weekend, 24-25 August 2024. The focus of enforcement will be on detecting excessive speeding, driving habits and any meetup rallies.
“As a whole, speeding poses an even greater risk factor in fatal accidents than driving while intoxicated. This is firstly because speeding is more common than driving while intoxicated. High speeds result in major damage, as the risk of errors increases with growing speed and, at the same time, response time is reduced and stopping distance is increased,” says Chief Superintendent Tuomo Katajisto.
Young people the focus of enforcement
The control theme also includes the driving behaviour of young people and meetup rallies. Young people aged 15-24 are over-represented in fatal accidents with a strong predominance on weekend nights. Young people accounted for almost half of suspects in causing a serious traffic hazard. Males account for a very high share, around 90%, of suspects.
Chief Superintendent Tuomo Katajisto of the National Police Board says that excess speeding, usually at least 50 km/h, is involved in causing a serious traffic hazard. On the other hand, even minor speeding, for example in built-up areas, sharply increases the likelihood of the loss of a pedestrian's life in a car accident.
Don’t drive recklessly – at the very least you could lose your licence, Katajisto reminds drivers.
