Effectiveness of Distracted Driving Campaign for Teenagers in the Emergency Department

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.