Estonia's police reintroduce 'cooling-off' stops for speeders
Drivers caught speeding by the police will once again be offered the choice between a 45-minute "time out" period or a fine as the force looks for ways to influence Estonia's driving culture.
The number of accidents and deaths on Estonia's roads is on a five-year upward trend. This year, there has been a dip, but experts attribute this to the erratic weather, not a better driving culture.
A doubling of the fine rate this year has also failed to daunt rule breakers.
The idea behind the "cooling-off" initiative, used several times since 2019, is to draw attention to speeding.
"If a driver exceeds the speed limit by up to 20 kilometers per hour, the officer may offer them the option of a cooling-off stop instead of a fine. And the driver has the choice to accept this measure or decline it," said Taavi Kirss, head of traffic at the Police and Border Guard Board.
The police have used cooling-off stops in the past, but the measure was temporarily put on hold.
"It started in 2019, when we first tested cooling-off stops. Then there was a bit of a break. But during back-to-school activities, we brought it back last year and are using it again this summer," Kirss explained.
The officer said it is still too early to assess the effectiveness of the cooling-off stops.
"We are not applying them on a large scale yet. To use them daily would require quite a few patrol officers to carry out the activity. But we have done some actions. Last Friday, for example, the Tartu Police Department conducted cooling-off stops on the Tartu–Võru road, and eight drivers chose the cooling-off stop. One driver opted for the fine for exceeding the speed limit by up to 20 kilometers per hour," Kirss said.
During Rally Estonia last weekend, the police also offered the "cooling-off" stop option on South Estonian roads. Kirss said the option will remain in use after the rally and will be applied nationwide at certain times.
Kirss urges people to keep in mind that with the arrival of warmer weather, traffic has become heavier again, and drivers need to be even more attentive on the road.
The police also launched a campaign this summer praising good drivers for allowing Death to take a day off.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Mirjam Mäekivi
