The limits of laws : traffic law enforcement in South Africa

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dc.contributor.authorDu Plessis, Sophiaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorJansen, Adaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSiebrits, Krigeen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-03T11:13:48Z
dc.date.available2022-03-03T11:13:48Z
dc.date.issued2020-04
dc.descriptionCITATION: Du Plessis, S., Jansen, A. & Siebrits, K. 2020. The limits of laws : traffic law enforcement in South Africa. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 23(1):a3430, doi:10.4102/sajems.v23i1.3430.
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at https://sajems.org
dc.description.abstractBackground: The aim of many public policies is to change behaviour. Governments tend to rely on regulations, taxes and subsidies to effect such change. These measures, which affect agents’ economic incentives, have a mixed record. A key insight of the New Institutional Economics is that the efficacy of such formal institutions depends on the strength of their enforcement and the extent to which they are compatible with prevailing informal institutions. Aim: This article uses the road safety situation in South Africa as a case study to explore aspects of the relationships among formal institutions, law enforcement and informal institutions. Setting: South Africa has a strong suite of road safety laws but poor road safety outcomes. Methods: The article draws on ideas about the relationships between formal institutions, law enforcement and informal institutions to undertake a case study of the road safety situation in South Africa. Results: The article argues that improved law enforcement cannot fully solve the problem; complementary changes to the informal institutions shaping the behaviour of road users are essential. Conclusion: Institutional economists have to take a greater interest in the insights of research in behavioural economics, behavioural and cognitive science and other disciplines in order to provide useful advice in settings where such change is an important policy objective.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttps://sajems.org/index.php/sajems/article/view/3430
dc.description.versionPublisher's version
dc.format.extent11 pages : illustrations
dc.identifier.citationDu Plessis, S., Jansen, A. & Siebrits, K. 2020. The limits of laws : traffic law enforcement in South Africa. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 23(1):a3430, doi:10.4102/sajems.v23i1.3430.
dc.identifier.issn2222-3436 (online)
dc.identifier.issn1015-8812 (print)
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.4102/sajems.v23i1.3430
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124312
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherAOSIS
dc.rights.holderAuthors retain copyright
dc.subjectTraffic regulations -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectLaw enforcement -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectTraffic safety -- Law and legislation -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.titleThe limits of laws : traffic law enforcement in South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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