By Letara Draghia

Copyright euroweeklynews

Amsterdam is trialling digital road signs that display how many drivers stick to the speed limit, in a bid to test whether positive reinforcement can make streets safer.

The pilot, launched by the Amsterdam Transport Region, will run until October 9, 2025, across four locations around the capital.

Positive spin on speeding rules

The project replaces the familiar smiley-face warning signs with dynamic boards that show a running tally of well-behaved drivers. Sensors pick up passing cars and register those keeping within the 30 km/h limit, which is regularly exceeded in urban areas.

Research by the transport authority suggests that 30 to 40 per cent of drivers surpass the speed limit in 30 zones, often brushing off small violations of five to ten kilometres per hour as harmless.

Spokeswoman Leonie Veerman told Dutch broadcaster NOS, “People like to conform to the social norm. By making that norm visible, we promote a positive herd mentality.” She added, “The message we are conveying is: your neighbours are keeping to the rules.”

Where the signs are being tested

The new boards have been installed in:

Ouderkerk aan de Amstel

Nieuw-Vennep

After just four days in operation, most signs had already logged between 4,000 and 6,000 drivers adhering to the limit, according to the Amsterdam Transport Region.

Social pressure as a road safety tool

The approach borrows from other behavioural experiments, such as using neighbourhood comparisons to discourage fly-tipping. The idea is to create a sense of collective responsibility rather than focusing solely on punishment.

At the end of the trial, the transport authority and local councils will evaluate whether expanding the scheme to more locations could help counter the perception that “everyone speeds anyway.”

Do you think this approach could actually make roads safer, or will some drivers only slow down when there’s a risk of being fined?

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