The Effectiveness of Highway Code Enforcement in a Resource-Constrained Setting: The Case of Dili City, Timor-Leste

Abstract

Effective motor vehicle regulation is critical for public safety, yet it faces severe challenges in resource-constrained settings like Dili, Timor-Leste. This study evaluates the effectiveness of Highway Code (Decreto-Lei n.º 6/2003) enforcement in the city. Employing a qualitative empirical legal research approach, data were collected via nonparticipant observation and semi-structured interviews with Traffic Police, road users, and officials, then analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal a stark systemic imbalance: only 78 Traffic Police personnel are tasked with regulating over 40,000 daily vehicles. This severe human resource deficit, compounded by deteriorating physical infrastructure and manual control systems, forces reactive policing. Consequently, it erodes procedural justice, leading to widespread public non-compliance and a weak road safety culture. The study demonstrates that conventional manpower expansion alone is insufficient to bridge this enforcement gap. Instead, a “technological leapfrogging” strategy—specifically the implementation of Electronic Traffic Law Enforcement (ETLE)—coupled with data-driven deployment and targeted civic education, is essential. This integrated approach is crucial to bypass resource limitations, restore legal legitimacy, and foster a sustainable culture of road safety in Dili.