Effectiveness of Distracted Driving Campaign

Nicklaus Children's Hospital f/k/a Miami Children's Hospital

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Trauma Prevention

Treatments: Behavioral: Video; Behavioral: Brochure; Behavioral: Power Point

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02437149

20150548

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study will measure the effectiveness of a distracted driving campaign in the emergency department in teenagers, 15 to 18 years old, to determine if it changes their attitudes towards texting while driving. It will also assess previous knowledge and behaviors in this age group, regarding distracted driving and what educational tool (power point vs. videos vs. brochure) has the most impact changing the attitudes towards texting and driving.

Full description

Distracted driving is defined by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) as any activity that could withdraw a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. It includes, talking or texting on a cell phone, grooming, eating or drinking, changing radio stations, or talking to passengers. Of all these activities text messaging is by far the most alarming distraction because it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver.

The NHTSA Research Note on distracted driving found that in 2011, 10% percent of fatal crashes were reported as distraction-affected crashes. This research also showed that teens between 15 to 19 years old are currently the largest group with distracted driving affected crashes, with 21% percent of them getting distracted while using their cell phones.

During the last few years, multiple public awareness campaigns have been launched in attempt to reduce this problem. These massive campaigns have included television, radio and internet campaigns, posters, billboards and brochures among others. Nevertheless, there are no studies assessing the success of these methods.

The research project will use visual and verbal educational tools to engage this population in order to maximize the learning process. The project will include brochures, video presentations and power point presentations. The investigators intend to test a potentially new and effective way to teach our teenagers about the dangers of distracted driving. The project primary goal is to assess if a distracting driving campaign in the emergency department is effective in changing the attitudes towards texting while driving. The investigator also intends to assess the current knowledge about distracted driving and to determine which tool (visual vs. verbal) is most effective to deliver this message.

Enrollment: 273 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 15 to 18 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adolescents between the ages of 15 to 18 years

Exclusion criteria

• Adolescents refusing to participate in the Distracted Driving Campaign.
• Adolescents visiting the emergency department with a chief complaint related to mental illness, suicide ideation or attempt, or any complaint limiting the ability to complete the questionnaire.
• Adolescents with diagnosis of developmental delay that could affect his or her ability to complete the questionnaire.
• Adolescents that do not speak English (the videos about real people who have had accidents while texting and driving found at http://www.distraction.gov/faces/index.html are available only in English.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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273 participants in 3 patient groups

Video and Brochure

Experimental group

Description:

Real stories video presentation and a brochure with information about distracted driving will be given to the participant.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Brochure

Behavioral: Video

Power Point and Brochure

Experimental group

Description:

Brief power point presentation and a brochure with information about distracted driving will be given to the participant.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Power Point

Behavioral: Brochure

Brochure Only

Experimental group

Description:

Only a brochure with information about distracting driving will be given to the participant.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Brochure