222 - EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNS DEVELOPED BY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AS PART OF THE RE:ACT PROGRAM

Session: D13S001 - Behaviour Change and Psychological Interventions in Transportation
AUTHORS:
Lewis Ioni (MAIC QUT Road Safety Research Collaboration ~ Brisbane ~ Australia) , Gourley Bridget (MAIC QUT Road Safety Research Collaboration ~ Brisbane ~ Australia) , Mcdonald Melinda (MAIC QUT Road Safety Research Collaboration ~ Brisbane ~ Australia)
Abstract text:
Introduction: The Re:act road safety behaviour change program is a unique collaboration between industry, government and higher education institutions where students produce peer-to-peer campaigns to help education young adults about road safety. Re:act is the only tertiary mandatory road safety program running in Australia.
Purpose: This study was an impact evaluation of the 2024 Re:act campaigns which addressed driver or pedestrian mobile phone distraction. The study was theoretically underpinned by the Step approach to Message Design and Testing (or SatMDT) framework.
Method: Young drivers aged 18-25 years (N=643, Mage=21.9 years, 66.4% female) living in Australia and not involved in campaign development, completed a 20-minute online questionnaire. Participants were randomly allocated to view one of six campaigns or a control (no campaign) condition (please note images of the campaigns will be shared in the conference presentation). Campaigns were evaluated via various outcome measures including direct measures of effectiveness including message effectiveness, message rejection, and the third-person effect (which assesses degree of perceived influence of a message on self versus others) as well as indirect measures of effectiveness relating to intentions to use a mobile phone as a driver or as a pedestrian. The SatMDT posits that a comprehensive understanding of messaging effects can only be found through implementing an array of effectiveness measures.
Results: Results revealed some significant differences based on both direct and indirect measures of effectiveness as well as when comparing the campaigns with the control condition. Such differences identified particular campaigns which were relatively more effective than others as well as when compared with the no-campaign control condition.
Conclusions: Evaluations of road safety programs such as the current study are critical to ensure initiatives are achieving their intended objectives. This evaluation highlights there being positive impacts of road safety campaigns produced by the Re:act program upon young drivers.