The numbers of speeding cases – in other words, violations of the 50 kilometres-per-hour speed limit – have substantially increased during the year in progress. The Police are particularly concerned about the neglect young men are showing with regard to their own and others’ safety in traffic.
During the coronavirus epidemic (weeks 12–21), the Police have issued 1,395 fines for serious threats to road safety – the largest number of which are for speed limit violations. The total last year during the same period was 924.
According to the Police statistics, men suspected of committing a crime totalled 1,275 and women 120. Although the share of women is indeed substantially smaller than that of men, the total number of serious threats to road safety on the part of females has grown considerably compared to the situation of males last year (growth on the part of women 79 per cent, 49 per cent on the part of men).
The numbers of male suspects examined by reference to age group have grown especially among those aged 15–17 (114 cases, increase: 64), those aged 18–20 (331 cases, increase: 116), those aged 21–24 (241 cases, increase: 75) and those aged 25–34 (294 cases, increase: 88).
The numbers of female suspects examined by reference to age group have grown especially among those aged 15–17 (10 cases, increase: 10), those aged 18–20 (35 cases, increase: 19), and those aged 21–24 (28 cases, increase: 13).
Safety devices do not prevent injuries and deaths
According to Chief Superintendent Heikki Kallio, the Police are very worried about this development. In his view, something must be done – but what?
Chief Superintendent Kallio emphasises the importance of driver attitude.
‘Being charged for highly excessive speeds is not the result of accident: rather, this is the consequence of quite conscious choices made by drivers. In other words, the attitude toward traffic safety just isn’t right,’ he declares.
The effects of an accident at high speed are generally disastrous.
‘Not even highly developed vehicle safety equipment is capable of preventing the injury or even death of victims. This should always be in the back of all drivers’ minds,’ Heikki Kallio stresses.
He reminds us that the sanctions against endangering traffic safety are also considerable. The most usual penalty is a fine (in over 80 per cent of all cases), as well as a lengthy driving ban. Day fines are usually imposed at an average of about 60.
In Mr Kallio’s opinion, legislators should consider how young men’s indifference could be addressed by legislative means, since public education and other tools do not appear to be bearing fruit.
‘What might result is Chief Inspector Dennis Pasterstein’s already suggested proposals: in other words, some types of technical limiters or speed recorders. One possibility would also be to restrict the number of young occupants in cars during weekend evenings.
Drunk driving by young people on the increase
According to the Chief Superintendent, the incidence of drunk driving amongst young people is also worrying.
Driving under the influence by those under 25 years of age has increased during the first part of the year almost 14 per cent compared to the situation last year. Drugs are linked with drunk driving by those under 25 in up to 61.5 per cent of all cases.
