Traffic Regulation Dissemination by the Transportation Department to Reduce Accidents: A Legal-Political Perspective

Abstract

This study examines the dissemination of traffic regulations by the Purbalingga Regency Transportation Agency as a legal-political strategy for enhancing public legal awareness and reducing traffic accidents. It addresses the limited scholarly attention given to legal dissemination as a preventive instrument of traffic governance, particularly within local government institutions. Employing a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on data obtained through semi-structured interviews with officials of the Transportation Agency, including the Head of the Transportation Division, the Head of the Traffic and Road Transportation Control and Enforcement Section, and technical staff, as well as public transportation users, including minibus, bus, and truck drivers. Documentary analysis was used to complement and triangulate the interview findings. The study identifies three principal findings. First, traffic regulation dissemination is implemented through a collaborative governance model based on the 3E principles, namely Engineering, Education, and Enforcement, involving the Transportation Agency, the Traffic Police, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the Public Order Agency. Second, legal awareness is promoted through direct educational activities and digital communication platforms, particularly social media, which broaden public access to traffic law information. Third, the effectiveness of dissemination efforts is constrained by structural limitations, including budgetary constraints and limited human resources, as well as cultural challenges reflected in the persistence of low levels of traffic discipline. The findings demonstrate that the effectiveness of legal dissemination depends not only on regulatory enforcement but also on sustained educational engagement between government institutions and the community. From a legal-political perspective, this study advances the understanding of law as a preventive and educative instrument that fosters compliance through legal consciousness rather than coercion alone. It recommends strengthening inter-agency collaboration, optimizing institutional resources, and expanding digital-based public legal education to improve the effectiveness of traffic governance at the local level.