This city in the Netherlands has taken an innovative step to try to dissuade people from speeding
The Dutch city of Helmond plans to reward motorists who stick to the speed limit with cash for community projects there.
A ‘speed-meter money box’ was installed in May in Helmond in North Brabant. For every vehicle passing that observes the 30km/h (19mph) speed limit, €0.10 is added to the total.
Sander Hermsen, a researcher of behaviour change and design at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, told Guardian Cities that the idea had potential to snap drivers out of bad habits.
“Most people don’t consciously speed, they don’t want to endanger other people – it’s just the road sort of invites you to go fast. Others do it too, so you go with the flow and before you know it you’re going 45km/h. What you need is some kind of trigger that breaks you out of your routine.”
Most people don’t consciously speed, they don’t want to endanger other people
The speedometer achieved its fundraising target of €500 to upgrade a local playing field well before the end of its three-week trial, a spokeswoman for the province told the Guardian.
The box, which is mobile, is set to be displayed throughout North Brabant throughout 2018 and 2019, with cities left to decide the fundraising targets and the community projects that will benefit.
