A new Simon Fraser University study has found that by positioning an inanimate but realistic police officer cut-out—known as “Constable Scarecrow”—along arterial roadways, speeding can be reduced. It’s the first known study evaluating the effects of cut-outs on motorist behaviour.

“We found that strategically positioning a metal cut-out of a police officer along arterial roadways immediately reduced speeding, but that the reduction effect gradually diminished over time,” says SFU criminology professor Rylan Simpson, the study’s lead investigator. “These findings should help to inform future police efforts to reduce dangerous driving and enhance road safety.”