Connecting with young drivers
A research study commissioned by LARSOA and funded by BSM.
 Connecting with young people to remind them of the risks and dangers they face on the roads; persuading young drivers and their passengers to drive and behave in a fashion likely to minimise these risks; and ultimately, playing a part in reducing crashes and casualties among this highly vulnerable group of road users.
These are among the toughest challenges faced by Britain's road safety professionals.
This study was carried out to help them achieve these objectives. It looks at how young people view their safety on the roads, and identifies what they perceive to be the greatest dangers they face while travelling by car.
Perhaps even more usefully for RSOs, the study tested a series of advertising concepts that could form the basis of a publicity campaign specifically targeting this age group. This report explains the thinking behind the concepts, and what worked and what didn't.
This is intended to be actionable research - a study that road safety professionals can use when developing campaigns and resources for use on the ground at local or regional level. The research was carried out in the period April-August 2007.
Key issues identified
· Young drivers find the prospect of dying less frightening than being left brain damaged and requiring 24/7 care.
· They are also more worried about seriously injuring or killing a passenger than hurting themselves.· More than half of respondents stated that 'paying more attention to the road' was the main way they could reduce their personal risk of having an accident. With the number of 'in-car gadgets' such as iPods, Sat-Nav and mobile phones on the increase - and the distraction of passengers and 'people watching' - many young people are not giving driving the level of attention it requires.
· Risk taking is perceived as a normal part of driving for this age group and the potential consequences are rarely considered. The level of risk appears to escalate when driving in convoy with friends and when carrying passengers. This is evident in both sexes - comments suggest that it is no longer predominantly a male trait.
· Driving the next morning while over the drink drive limit is widespread - 52% admitted to this - and does not have the same social stigma as driving straight after having a drink.
· There is a natural tendency for young drivers to look for an excuse - a reason why a situation could not happen to them. When thinking about an accident scenario multiple factors nearly always come into play - for example road conditions or the behaviour of other drivers. A successful campaign targeting this age group must reduce the chance of the reader thinking: 'That could never happen to me', or 'That was not my fault'.
The concepts
The concepts that were tested are summarised here, but examined fully further in the report. Readers are recommended to read the fuller explanation to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the thinking behind them, and reaction to them.
• Respondents felt that any campaign should target both sexes - they felt that road safety issues and messages are equally relevant for both sexes.
• Visuals play a vital role in engaging this age group. 17-20 year olds are initially more drawn to images than text - it is important that the image provokes an immediate reaction.
• To stand the greatest chance of success, a campaign must lead to a young driver thinking about their own behaviour - even if only for a split second.
• Information given must be brief and must not leave the reader feeling that the scenario could 'not happen to me'.
• Strap lines and headlines have little impact if the visual fails to 'hit a nerve'.
• Asking a question in a headline was successful. There was a tendency for the reader to place him or herself in the position of the driver, and therefore experience feelings of responsibility for what had happened.
 • In the concept 'Carefree, Careless, Cared for' the driver is left brain damaged - but the reader does not know what happened to the passenger.
Respondents - who put themselves in the position of the driver - were therefore less likely to feel a sense of guilt because they could assume the passenger was OK. |
 • Conversely, in 'Best mate in a coma' the passenger is seriously injured while the driver is unhurt.
This is a much more likely to induce a sense of guilt and responsibility.
(However, the model used in this concept does not come across as sufficiently sincere to be taken seriously.) |
 • It is crucial that a concept does not leave the reader feeling that the scenario could never happen to them.
'Could you live with yourself?' worked particularly well because respondents did not feel the need to work out what happened and then make excuses for the driver.
They are literally put into the driver's shoes and cannot escape feelings of guilt and responsibility. |
 • 'Careful where you and your mates end up after a cruise' does this less well because it allows the reader to make too many assumptions and sympathise with the driver.
As the reader is not sure what the outcome was, nor what caused the accident, the scenario could have been caused by a variety of circumstances - including something beyond the driver's control. |
 • Providing the reader with the correct amount of information is a delicate balance.
Too much information can reduce impact - the reader does not feel compelled to work out the message and they are unlikely to use their imagination to best effect.
In the case of the concept 'More girls die as passengers than as drivers' many were unsure what the message was and what emotions they should be feeling. |
 • In the concept 'Putting your foot down' the image of someone in a wheel chair looking up a flight of stairs was not deemed to be shocking or unusual enough.
It is also clear that any model used must be someone that young people can relate to - they have to be of a similar age and dressed in a way that the target group can identify with. |
 • Although young people may generally respond well to humorous campaigns, this was not the case in this instance.
'No one thinks you're big' was perceived as being too 'tongue in cheek' and as such could have the opposite effect to that desired.
It may inspire some young drivers to feel the need to prove themselves. |
Click here to download the full report.
Footnote: LARSOA is indebted to BSM, its commercial partner on this project, who provided full funding for the study. By doing so BSM has underlined its commitment to saving young lives - without their financial support the study would not have taken place.
Note: All images are comping images and were used for testing purposes only, |
