Evaluating driver preferences between punitive and non-punitive speeding penalties: Results from a stated choice experiment

Theofilatos, Ziakopoulos, A, Stratigi, Kopelias, P and Potoglou, D ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3060-7674 2025. Evaluating driver preferences between punitive and non-punitive speeding penalties: Results from a stated choice experiment. Journal of Safety Research Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Introduction: Speeding remains a major contributory factor to traffic crashes, making the design of effective penalty schemes a critical policy concern. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate driver preferences regarding penalties for speeding violations in Greece: (A) Immediate fines with off-road short detention (administrative process), (B) Attendance of compulsory road safety seminars, and (C) Judicial processes with possible dispute of fines in court. Method: Data were collected via a Stated Choice (SC) survey conducted during June and July 2023 in Greece, involving 161 participants resulting in 805 choice situations, and were analyzed by utilizing a random parameter multinomial logit model to capture unobserved heterogeneity among drivers. Results: Results showed that only 4.6% of respondents preferred the judicial process, indicating a strong deterrent effect of potential trial and associated costs. For Option A, statistically significant results included the monetary fine and penalty points, as well as the compulsory detention time off-road. For Option B, time and cost of road safety awareness seminars were significant. For the administrative process (monetary fine), the value that respondents were willing to pay to save 1 hour of waiting off-road was significantly higher (from 81.46 to 82.69 euros per hour) when compared to the driving education and awareness seminars (from 0.356 to 1.18 euros per hour), suggesting that drivers show a preference for higher monetary fines rather than being subjected to an off-road delay imposed by the police officer. Conclusion: The findings point towards more effective enforcement strategies while balancing penalty costs and duration of compulsory off-road detention and promoting educational-related non-punitive measures. Practical applications: The study could inform policymakers in designing and integrating a more diverse range of speeding penalties that align with driver preferences, potentially improving compliance, acceptability and better road safety outcomes.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0022-4375
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	23 October 2025
Date of Acceptance:	17 October 2025
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2025 14:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/181862

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