If I see you texting whilst driving, I will try to damage your car.
No, I won't, but this facebook group says they will. The cynical message to the left is another example of how humor can be used in the whole "texting while driving" campaign. Yet, in the focus group discussion I had today with high school students, they responded on the majority that the most effective style of messaging to use is scare tactics. Do you think real-life horror stories would make an impact? Would those persuade the fence-texters? Take the story of five talented high school seniors who died in a tragic car accident in 2007 in New York. Cell phone records show a text message was sent from the phone belonging to the driver, Bailey Goodman, at 10:05:52. A reply was sent to her phone at 10:06:29. Thirty-eight seconds later, someone called 911 to report the accident that killed Bailey and her friends. Or take the story of one of our focus group participants today- his cousin caused the death of another person because he was texting while driving. Are scary stories like this really going to help people stop?
8 comments:
I think scare tactics work for about a week or so, but people forget about them soon after.
Why not just call the police?
I agree with Erin. I think it would raise awareness, but only have short term effects on behavior change. Right now I it is so instinctive to read a text right when it's sent that it would be hard to change that behavior, even if you were aware of the dangers. I think scare tactics portray the reality of the danger, but the campaign also needs to include ideas on how to change the behavior. For example, before you get in your car turn your phone on silent and leave it in your purse, then look at it when you have arrived at your destination; or if driving with a passanger give your phone to them during the drive (and if you are comfortable with it, dictate to them answers to text messages.)
That's a good idea Monique! I don't like to text when I'm driving but as soon as I hear it beep I have to get it out. I will start turning my phone on silent.
I like the idea of showing ways of behavior change, becuase I think it's hard for a lot of people to relate texting a quick message in a car to a huge death scene like the scare tactics show. People will still think well it'll be just a quick message or I'm a good multi tasker, etc. so somehow we should make it like don't even look at the text unless you're willing to pull over or have someone else in the car read it to you or reply for you.
I think that this is a good issue to raise awareness on, because i hate to admit it but i have texted while driving...most people probably think its harmless but its interesting to see the effects
Scare tactics have their place. I think they are effective but there will always be the idea that "Oh, that won't happen to me." And honestly, I'm not sure how we get the point across that it very well could happen to you.
I think that scare tactics work for some people but not really all. For the most part, and we talked about this in our social marketing class, scare tactics particularly work with people that have had close encounters or know someone involved in the "scary story". Sadly, aside from these select few, and I really mean few, my guess is that most people will just keep going on through life doing what they do and what they feel is convenient for them. It's like how parent will try and get their kids to eat all their dinner with "sob stories" of starving children in Africa. As Marin Poole Meyer said, "We don't view them as part of our community and therefore we are not going to do anything about it."
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