I'm not sure I would go that far. Traffic fatalities are about twice the rate of homicide (~33.8k v ~14.7k). Of course, there is a big difference between accidental and intentional behavior, but in terms of outcomes the traffic safety issues shouldn't be ignored systematically.
I didn't say traffic violations should be ignored systematically. I said that police presence while doing other work would have a big impact on driver behavior. We live in a world where traffic patrol is undercover work in unmarked and obscure cars in hopes of writing a ticket rather than in a well marked black and white with a big bubble or light-bar that works to control driver behavior just by being seen.
Then, instead of concentrating on speeding violations, cops could, if they see dangerous behavior, write tickets for the things that really cause accidents.
I think you make my case - or a case I'd like to make. The war on drugs is a disaster; it's done nothing to stop drugs and probably increases the use. Gun control doesn't stop gun violence. Why would you think that writing the occasional ticket for speeding is going to stop traffic deaths?
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811753.pdfNHTSA considers a crash to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with
a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast
for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in
the crash.
That document indicates that 31 to 32% of traffic fatalities are speed
related but the number is wholey based on officer opinion - though the opinion is based on lots of experience, I know, but at least 70% of fatalities, then, are not speeding related at all most tickets written are for speeding. Statistics on what tickets are written for is strangely unavailable in the hour I spent searching on Google.
A couple of views that speeding is not the primary cause but, instead, distracted driving or following too close seem to be much more dangerous.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57583281/study-distracted-driving-deaths-underreported/http://albany-lawyer.blogspot.com/2006/12/following-too-close-tailgating-traffic.htmlPolice sitting watching radar is not about accident prevention or public safety. As the article linked below states, some officers are likely very interested in safety but the department, the city, and the traffic program are interested in revenue.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/10/19/town-that-lived-off-speeding-tickets/According to the page linked below, the average revenue generated by each and every police officer in the United States is $300,000. That's about $150 per working hour in revenue.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/driving-citation-statistics/ That's a pretty high revenue rate per person - and still the city wants taxes to pay for police.