Targeting Smartphone Use While Driving: Drivers’ Reactions to Different Types of Safety Messages

Laura Šeibokaitė, Rasa Markšaitytė, Auksė Endriulaitienė, Justina Slavinskienė, Dainora Šakinytė and Gerda Tamajevaitė
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Laura Šeibokaitė: Psychology Department, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Rasa Markšaitytė: Psychology Department, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Auksė Endriulaitienė: Psychology Department, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Justina Slavinskienė: Psychology Department, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Dainora Šakinytė: Psychology Department, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania
Gerda Tamajevaitė: Psychology Department, Vytautas Magnus University, 44248 Kaunas, Lithuania

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-11

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 ( n 1 = 26; n 2 = 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.

Keywords: smartphone use while driving; road safety message; threat appeal; emotional reactions; behavioral intentions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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