Abstract
Only a few previous studies analyzed the effectiveness of road safety messages targeting smartphone use while driving and only several of them used messages from an ongoing road safety campaign. Thus, contributing to the field, this study aimed at testing the effectiveness of two types of social messages (threat appeal and threat appeal together with safe behavior role modelling) targeting smartphone use while driving. Ninety-three drivers were randomly assigned to two experimental (n1 = 26; n2 = 37) and one control (n = 29) groups. Each experimental group was presented with one 30 s length video message to reduce or stop smartphone use while driving. Messages differed in terms of threat appeal and modelling of safe behavior. The control group was presented with a 30 s length video clip showing neutral driving related content. The results revealed that threat appeals (alone or together with a safe role model) resulted in less positive emotions when compared to the control group’s reported emotional reactions. The message with threat appeal only also resulted in more negative emotions compared to the control group. With regards to behavioral intentions, road safety messages used in this study had minor effectiveness: the threat appeal message reduced the intentions to use smartphones while driving, only when previous behavior has been controlled. In sum, messages targeting smartphone use while driving were effective at least to some extent in changing drivers’ emotions and intentions not to be involved in targeted behavior, but the effect was minor and threat appeal only showed higher effectiveness.
Highlights
Many studies confirmed that illegal smartphone use while driving impairs driving performance [1,2,3] and contributes significantly to the risk of traffic accident or injury [4,5,6].the use of smartphones became an integral part of everyday life due to the possibility of instant communication with others and easy access to information searches or social networking [7,8,9]
It was hypothesized that the safety message presenting just the potential threat of smartphone use while driving aroused stronger negative and fear emotions and weaker positive emotions compared to the threat appeal with demonstration of safer driving behavior
The effectiveness of road safety campaigns is widely investigated in the field of speeding and drunk driving, limited data are available about how they work in reducing smartphone use while driving
Summary
The use of smartphones became an integral part of everyday life due to the possibility of instant communication with others and easy access to information searches or social networking [7,8,9]. Distracted driving due to in-vehicle smartphone use has become an increasing issue of road safety [12]. Effectiveness of Safety Messages Targeting Smartphone Use While Driving. Enhanced public awareness through social marketing or educational campaigns might be effective means of the prevention of risky smartphone use while driving [13]. A large part of the knowledge on the effectiveness of road safety campaigns was based on the research using messages targeting speeding and drunk driving. The research on the effectiveness of road safety messages targeting smartphone use while driving is scarce. Hayashi and colleagues found that threat appeal significantly reduced drivers’
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