A reward for desirable conduct often proves to be a more effective cure for bad behaviour than punishing someone for their undesirable habits. Abu Dhabi Police’s newly launched Happiness Patrol project seeks to prove just that, with officers planning to hand out gift vouchers to those motorists who demonstrate they can drive safely and courteously. Even those who make minor mistakes on the road might now find themselves lightly ticked off by the Happiness Patrol. A yellow card system has been mooted for those who do break the rules, one that is designed to cajole offenders to do better next time rather than excessively punish them this time.
The objective is clear – reducing accidents by inspiring motorists to follow the rules of the road – and the project contributes to the overall push for happiness and welfare of our society.
The serious point here is that there is still far too much bad driving on our roads. If the Happiness Patrol can persuade drivers to drive more safely, then we will all benefit.
