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Marie von Hafften is a 2018 Story Fellow with the Solutions Journalism Network, curating reporting on responses to social problems. She also writes The Response, the organization's weekly newsletter. Marie studied international affairs and public policy at Columbia University and has worked for UN Women, UNOCHA and KYRS-Thin Air Community Radio. Her writing and photography have been published by PRI/GlobalPost, Christian Science Monitor, Next Billion and Global Envision.
Cash Converters: Could This Dutch Scheme Stop Drivers Speeding?
The Dutch city of Helmond had a problem last year. A very common problem. Speeding. Two speedometers on Dijksestraat found that more than half of passing cars zipped by faster than the 30km/h speed limit.
Instead of slapping drivers with higher fines, the city took a more community-minded approach, installing a speedometer that added €0.10 in funding for a local project each time a car passed by driving at or below the speed limit.
The idea worked. Drivers reached the fundraising target of €500 to upgrade a local playing field well before the end of the three-week pilot.
Drivers slow down because they feel connected to their community, according to Catelijne Thomassen, spokeswoman for North Brabant province where Helmond is located.
“Most of these people are local drivers, they know they are contributing to the district, in this case the playing field. It feels really local.”
The speedometer is now going on tour around the province, next appearing in Eerde.
“We are fully booked for the next two years,” said Thomassen.
