Way to Safety Cellphone Blocking

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Motor Vehicle Accident; Teen Drivers

Treatments: Other: Education Only; Device: Cellcontrol DriveID

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02416713

14-11234

Details and patient eligibility

About

Research participants will be recruited to take part in a randomized control trial. Participants' cellphone use will be observed during an initial baseline period. Participants will then be randomly assigned to one of four conditions: education only (control), opt-in blocking, opt-out blocking, and opt-out blocking with parental notification.

Full description

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in teens in the United State and for drivers aged 15-19 involved in fatal crashes, 21% of distracted drivers were distracted by the use of cellphones. Nearly 90% of teens expect a response to a text message within 5 minutes, and the compulsion to respond is stronger for messages from close social contacts. This suggests that behavioral-economic interventions such as immediate and frequent incentives are needed to offset the disutility caused by not being able to communicate by cellphone while driving. If proven to be effective, incentives could be scaled up via auto insurance discount contributions, school programs, and parental contributions.

Enrollment: 35 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 17 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. High school student
2. 16 or 17 at start of the study
3. Have a valid driver's license
4. Lives in parent's/guardian's home
5. Drives to school
6. Primarily drive one car
7. Has their own iPhone 4S or newer or Android 4.3 or newer smartphone with data plan
8. Parent/guardian is willing to assist with installation
9. Admit to texting while driving >1 time in the last 30 days

Exclusion criteria

1. Already uses a smartphone app or hardware device to limit cellphone use while driving

Trial design

Primary purpose: Diagnostic

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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35 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

Education Only (Control)

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

The Cellcontrol DriveID device will run completely in the background with no observable changes to cellphone functions while driving. During Week Four, participants will be presented educational materials on the dangers of distracted driving.

Treatment:

Other: Education Only

Opt-in Blocking

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will have to initiate Cellcontrol DriveID device when entering the vehicle; the blocking settings will be pre-set to block all calls and text messages when the car is in motion.

Treatment:

Device: Cellcontrol DriveID

Opt-out Blocking

Experimental group

Description:

Cellcontrol DriveID device will automatically turn on when the teen begins driving and will be pre-set to block all calls and text messages when the car is in motion.

Treatment:

Device: Cellcontrol DriveID

Opt-out Blocking with Notification

Experimental group

Description:

Cellcontrol DriveID device will automatically turn on when the teen begins driving and will be pre-set to block all calls and text messages when the car is in motion. If a participant overrides the blocking function, an email will be sent to a parent/guardian.

Treatment:

Device: Cellcontrol DriveID