Federal Highway Administration

**National Pedestrian Safety Engineering Outreach Campaign**

## LISBOA, Inc. Final Report on Focus Group II Findings

## Submitted 3/28/02

# **INTRODUCTION**

The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway
Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a
public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers
about existing engineering countermeasures designed to keep pedestrians
safe. LISBOA, Inc. conducted two focus groups for the campaign to
understand how pedestrians and drivers evaluate potential campaign
concepts and themes. Two focus groups were held in Washington, D.C. on
2/25/02. The first group was composed of male and female pedestrians
aged 21-54 years, and the second was conducted with 18-25 year old male
and female drivers.

LISBOA collaborated with the FHWA to develop both the respondent
screeners and the themes and concepts, which were presented to the
group. Also, LISBOA worked with Ebony Market Research in Washington,
D.C. to recruit and schedule the groups. Participants were paid an \$80
stipend for attending the two-hour group. The groups were video and
audio taped, and respondents were assured of confidentiality.

Dr. Megan Sheehan and Juanita Panlener of LISBOA, Inc., conducted the
focus groups. Following each group, they reviewed the video and audio
tapes and discussed the group process. Dr. Sheehan and Ms. Panlener then
developed structured topline summaries of key findings and observations.
The raw data for these toplines included the words, phrases, sentences,
and non-verbal responses of the attendees.

The Final Report is based on assimilating the key findings from the
toplines. This report includes recommendations to the FHWA for revising
the proposed themes and concepts based on focus group feedback.

KEY FINDINGS -- PEDESTRIANS

All of the participants in the pedestrian focus groups walk in
situations where they encounter moving vehicles. Like the previous focus
groups, all of the respondents indicated being concerned for their
safety as pedestrians. Several participants expressed concern over
drivers' inattention. *"Most drivers don't pay attention to the
pedestrians and who has the right of way."* *"I think drivers aren't
paying attention these days."*

# All of the participants, even those who do not have children, expressed concern about kids being hit by vehicles. Everyone felt that there was reason to worry about this. *"Sometimes the cars go fast and they don't stop."* 

The pedestrians worry about being hit by a car, *The car \[really\] has
the right of way."* The group members also reported that they feel
responsible for their own safety. *"It's everyone's responsibility to
look out for themselves." "It's like Russian Roulette."* Their concerns
included cars, crossing the street, and not having enough time at
intersections to cross before the "Walk" signal changed to "Don't Walk."
Some participants admitted that they occasionally disregard pedestrian
laws about crossing mid-block or waiting for the "Walk" signal at
intersections. *"I don't think pedestrians are guiltless. I cross
mid-sidewalk."* However, they still believe that they are behaving
responsibly.

The goals of the campaign were outlined for the group and they offered
several suggestions for slogans including: *"Pay attention;" "Look and
learn;" "You're not invincible;" "Respect goes both ways;"* "*Be a
traffic survivor;" "It's your life -- obey the light;"* and *"Drivers -
Don't trust them."*

Several concepts and themes for the pedestrian safety campaign were
presented to the group. Pedestrian Concept A: Pied Piper (see pedestrian
topline for description) was met with some negative feedback from the
group. They thought that pedestrian safety should be presented in a more
serious manner in order to convey the gravity of the issue. They also
thought that the message should have more emotional impact with the
audience. *"I'd go with the more serious all the way through,
personally." ". . . Have impact like those 'Truth' commercials."* A few
participants also had suggestions for how to make it more impactful. *"I
think you should have a person crossing the street and getting hit by a
car."*

Pedestrian Concept B: Invisible Woman (see pedestrian topline for
description) focused on the use of retro-reflective wear. The responses
of the group to this concept were varied. The "Go Retro" tag line at the
end of the description was not popular with the focus group
participants. "*I think 'Go Retro' is dumb*." There was some positive
feedback on the concept such as "*I think that's a good idea . . ."* and
*"I like the concept. . ."* However, the participants thought that the
build up was too long and thought that it would be more effective if the
retro-reflective wear were shown sooner. *"The first couple of frames
can have more impact." "I don't think you should spend the resources in
setting up the whole thing to get to the end." "I would just cut out the
first couple of frames."*

The third concept that the focus group evaluated, Pedestrian Concept C:
Retro-reflective Play by Play (see pedestrian topline for description),
was well received by the group. Overall, they found this scenario
accessible and liked the comparison among the fabrics. *"I could
visualize that."* However, there was some skepticism about whether
people would actually wear retro-reflective materials even though
several participants could attest to its effectiveness. *"I don't know
that I would wear the retro-reflective necessarily." "How often do you
remember when you walk on the street to put on retro-reflective wear?"*
"*I connect retro-reflective with runners, so I would not think to wear
that to the store." ". . . I don't see people going out & buying
reflective wear."*

In addition to the pedestrian concepts, Driver Concept B: Photo Album
(see pedestrian topline for description) was also presented to the
group. They had many comments regarding this concept. Overall, they
liked this concept better than any of the pedestrian concepts that were
presented to them. *"I think it's interesting that she says she 'wasn't
drunk.' Like anyone could do this." "I think you need that punch. You
want to say that it could happen to everyone." "I think this could hit
home with pedestrians as well."* They also offered comments and
recommendations to make the ad even more powerful.

*"You could use a lot of different drivers with this." "At the end you
could have all of the voices together. And then a child's voice saying
'you never know who you might run into.'"*

Print Advertisements (see pedestrian topline for descriptions) were also
shown to the focus group. Pedestrian Print Ad 1 had the headline: "Go
Retro! Get Noticed." The group had positive feedback regarding the "Get
noticed" title Print Ad 1. Pedestrian Print Ad 2 with the headline: "Go
Retro! It Could Save Your Life." was the next to be evaluated. The
responses to this were mixed. They felt that the ad targets athletes,
i.e. joggers, and that non-athletes might not relate to it. They
suggested using "non athletes" in the ad. The group had positive
comments for the design of Pedestrian Print Ad 3 with the headline:
"Walk Like a Pedestrian". However, they felt that it did not have the
emotional impact needed to adequately convey the message. ". . . *there
has to be an emotional impact with the message to get people to own it.
The every 7 minutes is pretty powerful, but that's not coming across."*

**KEY FINDINGS -- DRIVERS**

When asked how frequently the drivers encountered pedestrians when
driving, the participants stated that they see pedestrians *"All the
time, especially in the city."* Some other locations where they drive
near pedestrians included: crosswalks, intersections, college campuses,
and parking lots for malls and shopping areas.

All of the participants indicated that they are concerned about hitting
or injuring a pedestrian while driving. *"I drive into the city, but I
prefer not to because of the fact that people are always running around,
crossing the street, not paying attention."*

The focus group members indicated that, even though they are concerned
about hitting pedestrians, there are occasions when they are not paying
attention to pedestrians. *"Mostly at intersections when you have to
pull out to see what's coming."* They also expressed concern about
parking lots.

When asked for their suggestions about how to get drivers to pay more
attention to pedestrians, drivers had several suggestions including
using emotionally charged images: *"I'd use some graphic imagery. . .
the consequence of actually hitting someone. Maybe not somebody actually
getting hit, but it could be done tastefully . . . an event about to
happen or the after-effects. Plant something in someone's head."* Like
the previous driver focus groups, they also suggested using children.
*"I like what they do with the drunk drivers. . . the little pin and the
picture. People react more when it's a little kid." "I think that the
kid image would be good and make people more aware of how important it
is. Like seatbelts."*

Next, the goals of the National Pedestrian Safety Outreach Campaign were
outlined for the focus group participants. They were asked to offer
their ideas for the campaign. Some of their ideas included: *"Caution --
driving is dangerous."* and *"A light is not worth a life."*

Driver Concept A: Boy and Dad Leaving Park (see driver topline for
description) was the first concept that the group evaluated. The group
thought that the images should be more surprising and more graphic in
order to have maximum impact with the audience. *"I think \[being
graphic\] is important. It helps get the point across." "It should be
graphic." "Cigarette commercials are really graphic and that gets the
point across."*

They liked using a child in the ad and thought that this would be
sympathetic. ". . . *it's good to have the kid there because there's
more sympathy for that."*

Driver Concept B: Photo Album (see driver topline for description) was
met with positive feedback from the group. Overall, they thought this
idea had more impact than the first one. *"I think this one works better
-- it's more graphic and hits closer to home."*

The group had some suggestions for variations that could be used with
this concept including using actual survivors/family members, including
photographs of victims, and showing jail cells. *"Use actual people --
not actors."* They thought that the "this could happen to me" idea would
resonate with viewers. *"I think the idea that 'this could happen to me'
would hit home with people. And I think it would especially if you had
people in the commercial that this happened to." "I think the message
that it could be anyone could be good."*

The third concept to be presented to the group, Driver Concept C: Mom
and Child (see driver topline for description). Their reaction to this
concept was not as positive as their reaction to Driver Concept B: Photo
Album.

One of the pedestrian concepts was also presented to the driver group.
Pedestrian Concept C: Retro-reflective Play by Play (see driver topline
for description) was positive. Even though they know that
retro-reflective materials are effective and they liked seeing the
comparison, *"I think it works to show people the comparison."* They
said that they still would not wear it, *"I think it's definitely
something people don't want to wear."*

After completing their comments on the PSA concepts, the group was shown
a variety of possible driver and pedestrian safety print advertisements
(see driver topline for descriptions of ads). Driver Print Ad 1 with the
headline: "Stay Alert" elicited negative comments from the focus group.
They agreed with the text message, but thought that the image did not
fit well with it. "*I don't know if the visual works so well. I think
the message is good."* The group's comments about Driver Print Ad 2 with
the headline: "Stay Alert: You Never Know Who You Might Run Into"
focused on the parts of the ad that they thought were unclear. They
suggested making the shoe dirtier and showing skid marks on the
pavement. *"If there were a dirtier shoe and skid marks I think that
would say it all -- I don't think you'd need any text."* The drivers
liked Driver Print Ad 3 with the headline: "Stay Alert at
Intersections." They thought that it would be effective at targeting
drivers or pedestrians. *"I think the 'yield to pedestrians' is good."*
The participants said they would pay attention to this print ad with the
modifications they specified. "*They need to have the scared look."* The
group thought that seeing the children looking scared might have more of
an emotional pull over viewers.

The driver group was also shown the pedestrian print ads. The first one,
Pedestrian Print Ad 1: with the headline: "Go Retro! Get Noticed," was
met with some confusion. They were confused over the use of the word
"retro" and stated that they do not associate "retro" with
retro-reflective wear. *"I don't know what 'retro' is, I would think
'70s."*

*"I had no idea what retro-reflective wear is."* The layout and image of
the second Pedestrian Print Ad, with the headline: "Go Retro! It Could
Save Your Life," was criticized by the group. *"She looks too happy to
have that image there."* However, some focus group members were positive
about the message, *"I like the 'get noticed.'"*

The participants had positive comments about Pedestrian Print Ad 3 with
the headline: "Walk Like a Pedestrian" and thought that it was catchy.
*"People can relate to that."* However, they were confused by the "don't
walk in between. . . " portion of the text. *"The 'Walk in the cross
walk not in between' doesn't make sense to me."*

### RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings from the 2/25/02 focus groups, LISBOA has several
recommendations for the National Pedestrian Safety Engineering Outreach
Campaign.

-   Both the driver and pedestrian groups thought that the PSAs and
    message should strive to have emotional impact. They thought a
    serious tone was more appropriate to the topic and would be more
    effective with the audience. LISBOA recommends using campaign
    concepts with similar look and feel, that maximize the emotional
    impact of the message by depicting fear, sadness, and remorse.

-   The participants were not familiar with the term "retro-reflective
    wear." Even though many of the participants were aware of the safety
    benefits of using retro-reflective materials when walking/biking at
    night, they expressed serious doubt that people would actually wear
    these materials when not exercising. FHWA should pursue other
    avenues to increase awareness and accessibility of retro-reflective
    wear including targeting clothing manufacturers to use the materials
    on clothing and accessories.

-   LISBOA recommends using the image/voice of a child because
    regardless of participant age or gender, the focus group
    participants thought that this would add emotional impact and
    increase the spot's persuasiveness.

-   The campaign messages should be clear and direct.

-   The groups thought that "Every 7 minutes a pedestrian is killed or
    injured in a traffic accident" was a powerful statement because it
    is accessible and easy to understand. While numbers per year may be
    abstract, the groups reported that they could easily relate to the
    idea that a pedestrian injury/fatality occurs every 7 minutes.

-   Driver Concept B: Photo Album (see pedestrian topline for
    description) was the most popular concept with both groups. They
    liked the fact that the PSA does not specifically target one type of
    driver. They thought the idea that anyone could be the cause of the
    accident, even a good driver, would resonate with viewers. "I never
    thought this would happen to me" had emotional impact for them.

-   The groups also liked the slogan "Think of the impact you could
    make." They thought it was a more powerful message than "You never
    know who you might run into."

In sum, while the focus groups provided valuable feedback about and
suggestions for the themes and concepts developed by LISBOA, there was
no consensus of approval among focus group members for the concepts
presented. LISBOA recommends further revising the themes and concepts
and convening two additional focus groups to test the messages before
proceeding with production of the campaign.

**TOPLINE SUMMARIES,**

**SCREENERS**,

**&**

DESCRIPTIONS OF PARTICIPANTS

Federal Highway Administration

Pedestrian Safety Countermeasures Education

**LISBOA, Inc. Focus Group Topline Summary**

**Pedestrians -- Washington, DC**

**2/25/02**

The first of two focus groups in Washington, DC was held with
pedestrians. The purpose of this group was to determine what sorts of
public education messages would capture their interest and attention.
The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway
Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a
public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers
about existing engineering countermeasures designed to protect
pedestrians. The group consisted of ten 21 to 54 year old male and
female pedestrians who had been exposed to traffic situations more than
once during the past week.

To begin the discussion, the participants were asked about their typical
concerns as pedestrians, including how concerned they are about being
hit by a vehicle. All respondents indicated feeling concerned for their
safety.

-   *"Most drivers don't pay attention to the pedestrians and who has
    the right of way. They don't take \[into\] consideration that they
    are big vehicles."*

-   *"Cars are supposed to stop at the light, but they're in the
    crosswalk and people have to go around them, into traffic to cross
    the street."*

-   *"I think drivers aren't paying attention these days."*

-   *"The cars never stop at the crosswalk."*

-   *"People just drive crazy all the time."*

-   *"People are trying to drive and talk \[on cell phones\] at the same
    time."*

# The four participants, who have children under the age of 10, were asked how concerned they are about their children being hit by a vehicle. In response, all of the participants, even those who do not have children, expressed concern about this issue. The entire group felt that there was reason to be worried about children and vehicles.

-   *"There's a lot of concern. There are a lot of drunk drivers. . .
    people on drugs. . . people don't pay attention. They run lights all
    the time."*

-   *"It's terrible."*

-   *"Sometimes the cars go fast & they don't stop."*

-   *"Crossing in front of the school . . . there's no stop or slow
    down."*

-   *"They just keep on driving like they're on the highway."*

# Next, the group was asked how responsible they feel for their safety as pedestrians. Everyone in the group indicated that they feel responsible for their safety when they are walking. Their concerns included cars, crossing the street, and not having enough time at intersections to cross before the "Walk" signal changed to "Don't Walk." Several participants also expressed concern over elderly pedestrians' not having adequate time to cross intersections safely. Some participants admitted that they are not always blameless and that they do occasionally disregard pedestrian laws about crossing mid-block or waiting for the "Walk" signal at intersections. However, they still believe that they are behaving responsibly. Some of their comments included: 

-   *"I've thought about this before. It is my responsibility to look
    out for my own safety. So, I'm not second-guessing this car. . . You
    don't know what they're going to do. I observe them more than they
    observe me."*

-   *"It's everyone's responsibility to look out for themselves."*

-   *"It's like Russian Roulette."*

-   *"I try to look out for my safety. I wait until the car moves."*

-   *"You better observe what the cars are doing. I stand there and look
    . . . and then run across the street."*

-   *"The car has the right of way."*

-   *"I don't think pedestrians are guiltless. I cross mid-sidewalk."*

-   *"I do the middle of the road crossing too. But, I'm totally,
    completely watching out \[for\] what's going on. I know crossing in
    the middle of the street is illegal, but I also look out \[for\]
    what I'm doing. I don't barrel across the street . . ."*

-   *"Some of the crossings don't give you enough time."*

# The goals of the National Pedestrian Safety Outreach Campaign were then outlined for the focus group participants. They were asked to offer their slogan ideas for the campaign. The group was very animated in their responses to this question. Some of the slogans that they suggested included:

-   *"Pay attention."*

-   *"Look and learn."*

-   *"Live and learn."*

-   *"You're not invincible."*

-   *"Look both ways -- all of the actions you're doing are pertaining
    to your eyes."*

-   *"It's the two sides of the street."*

-   *"You've got to protect yourself."*

-   *"Mutual Respect"* (Drivers & pedestrians being mutually respectful
    of each other.)

-   *"Respect goes both ways."* (Drivers & pedestrians working together
    for a safe trip.)

-   "*Be a traffic survivor."*

-   *"Pedestrians have the right of way."*

-   *"Chill out."*

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-   *"Obey your lights & make sure your judgment is right."*

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-   *"It's your life -- obey the light."*

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-   *"Drivers - Don't trust them."*

-   *"Light up the night -- wear reflective clothing."*

-   *"Go With The Glow."*

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-   *"It's your time to shine."*

-   "*Retro -- it reflects on your life*."

# Pedestrian Themes

Several concepts and themes for the pedestrian safety campaign were
presented to the group. The first one was presented as a storyboard with
illustrations of the scenes in the PSA mounted to black cardboard for
the group to view while listening to the description.

# Pedestrian Concept A: Pied Piper

A beautiful woman is walking down the street. We hear catchy, upbeat
music. She is walking/dancing to the music as she cruises down the
sidewalk. A few people recognize her and start following her. Then a few
more people see her and start following too. By the time she gets to the
intersection, a small crowd is close behind, dancing to the music with
her. She arrives at an intersection and suddenly stops because the
signal says "Don't Walk." The lyrics of the music begin to emerge---we
hear short, catchy phrases that reinforce the crossing signal messages,
(something like: "Walk. Don't Walk. Wait for the next light. That's
right.") (Catchy phrases will be technically accurate and visuals that
correspond to the phrase will be appropriate.) Some people in the crowd
bump into her, and there is a domino affect. The signal then changes to
"walk." The woman puts out her arms to hold back the crowd while she
looks left, right, and left again, and then crosses the street. (Maybe
add Birdseye POV of people entering the crosswalk and keeping within the
crosswalk -- lyrics reinforcing the message to stay in crosswalk) Again,
the crowd follows her. Halfway across the street, the sign starts
flashing, "Don't Walk." We see a close up shot of the flashing red hand.
We see the beautiful girl glance at the flashing sign acknowledging the
sign but keeps on walking. (Lyrics will reinforce the message of what to
do once the crosswalk signal starts flashing) She continues across the
street confidently. Everyone follows. We see a shot of feet
dancing/walking in the crosswalk (not running or doing anything unsafe).
And we see everyone makes it across before the signal changes. As we see
them walk away, we hear a narrator say something like, "Every seven
minutes a pedestrian is killed or injured in a traffic accident. *Pay
attention to the pedestrian signals.* *It could save your life.* A
message brought to you by..." Continue with music and show U.S.
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration logo.

# 

There was some negative feedback about the concept. The group thought
that the topic should be presented in a more serious manner in order to
convey the gravity of the topic and have more impact with the audience.

-   "*Click. I'd turn the channel*."

-   *"\[The text at the end is\]* *totally incongruous with the rest of
    the video. It just doesn't vibe."*

-   *"I'd go with the more serious all the way through, personally."*

-   *"Print the message on screen -- you still hear catchy music, but
    read text."*

-   "*Direct it to a younger crowd. \[This is directed toward\]*
    *working people*."

-   "*The message should be toward everybody -- not just the youth.*"

-   "*I'd go with a silent movie theme. Let people read the information.
    Maybe a narrator's voice at the end. . . Have impact like those
    'Truth' commercials*."

-   "*I think the idea is interesting. Somebody who is attractive . . .
    and they're following her & not paying attention to crossing the
    street. I think that could be used for other communities
    \[teenagers, kids\]*."

-   "*This doesn't educate, it doesn't give them any information*."

-   "*If you want to get to the root of the accidents -- it is not just
    crosswalks."*

-   *"It needs to go beyond paying attention to the street signs."*

-   *"The message doesn't really come around till the last 5 seconds.
    Right off the bat -- cut to the 'Walk/Don't Walk' sign & then the
    music comes in. Then at the end you could hit the message again."*

-   *"If you want to keep the idea of this beautiful woman -- the crowd
    follows her to the crosswalk and then she's walking against the sign
    & no one else follows her because she's not paying attention. Don't
    get distracted."*

-   "*Of course drivers will stop for her -- she's beautiful. You want
    to downplay the sex appeal . . . if you make this lady sexy, then of
    course they'll be beeping."*

-   *"Maybe \[show\] 3-4 people instead of one."*

-   *"Boom, boom, boom. People seeing different pictures -- basically
    you need to pay attention."*

-   *"I think you should have a person crossing the street and getting
    hit by a car."*

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-   *"Show what you are not supposed to do & what you're supposed to
    do."*

##### The next concept the group evaluated highlighted the use of retro-reflective wear.

# Pedestrian Concept B: Invisible Woman

> A woman walks into her house with a bag from the pet store. She has
> bought the best of everything for her dog. She takes the items out one
> by one: dog food, dog treats, and a shiny new collar, leash and vest.
> She opens the package with the vest and we see "retro-reflective" on
> the packaging. Then she puts on a white runner's jacket and calls the
> dog. She puts the vest, collar and leash on him and walks out the
> door. Once outside, we see the woman and the dog going down the steps
> of the house and on to the sidewalk. (From this we can see the
> reflective material showing brightly on the dog). From here we change
> perspectives now to see the woman and her dog run towards the sidewalk
> and turning left onto the sidewalk (again showing off the reflective
> quality of the dog). From here the camera follows the path to the
> sidewalk and pivots around the woman and the dog once on the street.
> From here the camera moves backward with the woman and the dog in view
> but gradually getting small and far away even though they're jogging
> towards the camera. As the camera gets farther we see it's harder and
> harder to see the woman but we can see the dog via the retro
> reflective material. The camera keeps pulling back until it becomes
> obvious that you're looking at the woman and her dog from the interior
> of a car through the windshield. It should become obvious as well that
> it's very difficult to see the woman but easy to see the dog. The
> moment car interior comes into view we hear the narrator say something
> like, "When you're walking or running at night, appearance *does
> matter*. Cars can see you from a lot farther away if you are wearing
> retro-reflective clothing. *Go retro and get noticed."* End with music
> and show U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway
> Administration logo.

##### 

The responses of the group to this concept were varied. There was
laughter in response to the "Go Retro" tag line at the end of the
description. While some of the participants thought that the idea was
good, others felt that the build up (the woman entering the house, etc.)
was too long and thought that it would be more effective if the action
started sooner. Some of their comments included:

-   "*I think "Go Retro" is dumb*."

-   "*I think that's a good idea, a lot of bikers who drive at night
    should have them."*

-   *"I like the concept -- I followed the concept very well. The
    perspective of the car looking out at them too. I like the way the
    commercial flows, it's a good idea. I think a lot of people get
    injured at night because they're walking on the edge of the
    street."*

-   *"I think the commercial should say, 'If you're out at night you
    should have this stuff with you.'"*

-   *"The first couple of frames can have more impact. Cause I'm not
    going to wait. I'd cut the grocery stuff out. Start with wearing the
    stuff and running."*

-   *"I think you need to reinforce \[the message\], because saying it
    once at the end does, I don't know if that does it."*

-   *"I don't think you should spend the resources in setting up the
    whole thing to get to the end."*

-   "*I don't think there's anything wrong with starting with the
    message & repeating it at the end*."

-   "*You've lost me already with the woman walking in with the bags"*

-   *"I thought the slogan "Go Retro" was stupid. I think the idea of
    having it from the driver's perspective is good. The whole dog thing
    at the beginning is too long -- the tag line should be 'You buy the
    best for your dog, why wouldn't you buy the best for yourself.'
    \[Right now\] the message is too passive."*

-   "*Open with car headlights very small, \[and a\] lady & dog running
    -- She turns around quick\[ly\] with the headlights in her face &
    she's wearing all the glowing stuff & the car passes by her."*

-   *"Instead of coming in with the bags, the dog stuff could be on the
    coat rack."*

-   *"I like the dog running to the owner."*

-   *"You only have 30 seconds -- so you have to cut to the chase
    quickly. The lady getting home is a lot of wasted time."*

-   *"I would just cut out the first couple of frames."*

-   *"I think it's better than the first* *\[Pied Piper concept\]."*

-   "*Yeah, I think it's from 2 totally different angles. Urban \[Pied
    Piper\] & rural \[Invisible Woman\]."*

-   *"If you want people to wear this stuff -- tell them you want them
    to wear it. Show situations where they're wearing the stuff in
    different places where the reflective stuff pays off."*

-   *"\[It's\] important to show from the driver's perspective* *\[so
    people know why they need to wear it\]."*

-   *"\[Show a\]* *lady running & car going past her*."

The next concept that the group evaluated again highlighted the use of
retro-reflective wear, this time focusing on the superior effectiveness
of retro-reflective materials compared to other fabrics/colors.

[Pedestrian Concept C: Retro-reflective Play by Play.]{.underline}

> [Commentator]{.underline} -- Pre-game chit chat style dialog. Here
> we're introduced to each of the different joggers each one getting
> ready to go out for a jog. Each jogger obviously concerned about
> safety and being seen out in the street at night.
>
> [Jogger 1]{.underline} -- decidedly chooses white clothing (jersey) as
> his main outfit for being seen. Commentators quickly offer comments --
> citing maybe why they think the jogger chose this and how they think
> it will perform on the road
>
> [Jogger 2]{.underline} -- the same as jogger 1 except with different
> clothes (fluorescent). Again, more commentary via the commentators.
>
> [Jogger 3]{.underline} -- Putting on retro reflective clothing.
> Commentators obviously excited about this... cites all the benefits of
> using retro reflective, why they think this will be a clear choice to
> be winner.
>
> All three joggers come running out of the house and as we see them
> start jogging down the street we cut to the interior of an oncoming
> vehicle some distance away from the joggers which are approaching.
> From here we see that the retro reflective jogger is the clear winner
> in being able to be seen from a distance. The commentators excited
> about a no contest winner. He says something like, "Jogger number one
> thought she had it right, but the truth is, wearing white doesn't help
> very much at night. Jogger number two had a good idea, but fluorescent
> colors can really only be seen during the day, and the reflective
> strips---well, unless a car's headlights are shining right at them,
> they're not very effective either. Now, jogger number three hit the
> nail on the head. She's wearing *retro-reflective strips* and those
> puppies can be seen by drivers much farther away than any other
> material. The narrator say something like, "When you're walking or
> running at night, appearance *does matter*. *Go retro and get
> noticed."* End with music and show U.S. Department of Transportation,
> Federal Highway Administration logo.

# 

The group had positive comments about this idea as well as additional
suggestions to improve it. Overall, they found this scenario accessible
and liked the comparison among the fabrics. However, there was some
skepticism about whether people would actually wear retro-reflective
materials even though several participants could attest to its
effectiveness. There was also discussion within the group about the
dangers of having to change a flat tire on the side of the road at
night.

-   *"I could visualize that."*

-   *"I don't know that I would wear the retro-reflective necessarily."*

-   *"I think it's more effective than the dog one, \[it's\] showing
    people the different choices that they have."*

-   *"It says more \[than the Pied Piper or Invisible Woman
    concepts.\]"*

-   *"It sounds funnier. If you're trying to keep it engaging, it's
    funnier than the dog one, which people may not relate to if they
    don't have a dog."*

-   *"How often do you remember when you walk on the street to put on
    retro-reflective wear?"*

-   "*If people consider it 'hip' wear, they'll wear it, not because of
    safety."*

-   *"I connect retro-reflective with runners, so I would not think to
    wear that to the store."*

-   *"This reflective wear is more toward those people who are running &
    being athletic, riding a bike. What are you going to do about the
    everyday Joe walking down the street?"*

-   *"Have corporations -- FUBU, NIKE -- promote reflective strips,
    especially to young kids & school groups*."

-   "*Sometimes I think 'I'm lazy.' Why would I want to invest in that
    stuff?"*

-   *"I think regardless of whether people will actually go out to buy
    reflective wear -- because I seriously doubt that they will -- I
    think it's important to have this commercial because at least it
    gives you a sense of how you are not as visible to cars as you think
    you are. But I don't see people going out & buying reflective
    wear."*

-   *"I like the idea of the car on the road & the guy stops, someone on
    the side of the road fixing a tire."*

-   *"Maybe FHWA would do an ad where . . . they give you free
    reflective stuff."*

-   *"I've seen with my own eyes how this reflective stuff really shows
    up at night, even on tennis shoes, you can really see that*."

# The group discussed the "*Go Retro*" slogan. When asked what they think of when they hear the word "Retro", their responses included "*Clothing, music . . . young kids, being mislead", "24 hour parties" and "paint*." One participant stated, "*I hear this "Go Retro" -- I think of everything other than reflective wear. It's associated with a predominantly different subject matter than you're going for*." Another participant said, *"I never knew it was called retro-reflective wear, I don't think most people know that it's called that. When you say "retro" that's not what I think of."* Another participant added, *"you've got to drop the 'Go Retro.'"*

# Print Ads

After completing their comments on the PSA concepts, the group was shown
a variety of possible pedestrian safety print advertisements. Once
again, the group had a plethora of comments about the ads.

# Pedestrian Print Ad 1

# Headline: Go Retro! Get Noticed

> Tag line: Retro-reflective Clothing Can Save Your Life
>
> Image: Binocular view of runner running along a road away from the
> viewer into an outdoor/landscape scene. Small text and FHWA logo at
> bottom.

The group had positive feedback regarding the "Get noticed" title Print
Ad 1. The participants were asked for their opinions on the slogan,
*"Reflect Yourself*", also related to retro-reflective wear. The
responses were positive including, *"I like that."* and *"That's
interesting."*

# 

# Pedestrian Print Ad 2

# Headline: Go Retro! It Could Save Your Life

> Tag line: Get Noticed
>
> Image: Female runner wearing retro reflective vest running toward the
> viewer.
>
> Smaller text: Retro reflective Looks that Stop Traffic
>
> Smallest text: Every 7 Minutes a Pedestrian is Killed or Injured In a
> Traffic Accident. FHWA logo at bottom.

# 

# The responses to this ad and to the retro-reflective wear were mixed. They felt that the ad targets athletes, i.e. joggers, and that non-athletes might not relate to it. They were concerned that someone who was not athletic would dismiss the ad as not being applicable to them. Instead, they suggested depicting other people in the ad.

-   *"It looks like somebody jogging -- it doesn't get to the average
    person."*

-   *"I wouldn't wear retro-reflective wear getting off the metro."*

-   *"I don't think there can be just one ad that will satisfy all
    markets \[athletes, young, old, average person, etc.\]."*

-   *"What about having two old people going to get groceries instead of
    the jogger?"*

-   *"Don't make it so much for the athletic crowd, unless that's your
    target."*

-   *"I think the athletic people are already aware of this, the regular
    pedestrian may not be."*

-   *"Maybe if it had older people. . . children. It might appeal to
    more folks."*

When asked for feedback about the layout of the ad, the group offered
positive comments as well as some suggestions for improving the appeal
of the ad, including adding actual retro-reflective materials to it.

-   *"I think \[the magazine cover\] is a good attention getter because
    people want to see what's in it."*

-   *"With advertising printing technology, you could have those silver
    things \[pointing to ad\] be retro-reflective."*

-   *"I wouldn't have read the bottom \[print\]."*

-   *"Maybe you should put . . . a really cool graphic, a design thing,
    that will reinforce what you're saying."*

-   *"Drop the person, but have that glossy reflecting stuff in the
    ad."*

-   *"Include \[actual\] reflective material in the ad."*

# Pedestrian Print Ad 3

# Headline: Walk Like a Pedestrian

> Tag line: Walk In the Crosswalk, Not in Between
>
> Image: Four casually dressed adults walking across a crosswalk in
> sync.
>
> Small text below image. "Every 7 Minutes a Pedestrian is Killed or
> Injured in a Traffic Accident" below small text. FHWA logo at bottom.

# While the group had positive comments for the design, they felt that it did not have the emotional impact needed to adequately convey the message. They liked it, but felt that it was not serious enough. 

-   *"Very 'Abbey Road.'"*

-   *"\[I think of\] the 'Walk like an Egyptian' song."*

-   *"Very post modern."*

-   *"\[It\] appeals to baby-boomers & people who like the '80s."*

-   *"Use RR back to back for retro-reflective."*

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   *"I think this stuff is backup for whatever else you have, there has
    to be an emotional impact with the message to get people to own it.
    The every 7 minutes is pretty powerful, but that's not coming
    across."*

-   *"Show something that takes 7 minutes to do & then show someone
    being killed."*

-   *"Show the consequences of not being safe."*

[Driver Themes]{.underline}

Since there was time remaining and the pedestrian focus group members
were so forthcoming in their opinions, the moderators presented a
selection of driver concepts and themes to the pedestrian group. The
group proved to be quite descriptive in their opinions and comments.

# Driver Print Ad 3:

# Headline: Stay Alert at Intersections

> Image: Two children, a boy and a girl, are standing at intersection.
> The little boy has his arm in front of the girl seemingly holding her
> back. There is a blurry image of a car in front of the two children
> and a school crossing sign is visible beyond the car.
>
> Tag line: You Never Know Who You Might Run Into. Small text, FHWA logo
> at bottom.

-   *"I like that."*

-   *"I like the picture. It's really good especially the blurry
    speeding car."*

[Driver Concept B: Photo Album]{.underline}

We see a woman sitting in a chair; the rest of the room is black. She is
looking toward the camera as she tells her story about a car crash in
which she killed a young child. She is obviously still emotional and
shaken by the incident. While she is talking we see blurry images of a
car turning into a crosswalk (this could be a mid-block crosswalk or
intersection crosswalk), a mother is pushing a stroller. The image
freezes on teddy bear flying in mid air from impact. The woman says
something like, "I don't drink, I don't do drugs, and I wasn\'t
speeding. I was just turning at an intersection. I looked to see if any
cars were coming..." Then we see another woman, sitting on a couch in a
very modest living room. She is flipping through a photo album, tears
streaming down her face. We see pictures of a newborn baby, baby's first
birthday, out for a walk in the stroller, playing baseball with Dad,
etc., while we hear the first woman continue, "I was in a hurry and I
wasn't *really* paying attention, so I didn't see them in the crosswalk.
I never thought something like this could happen to me." Cut to a shot
of the two women standing together. The women say something like:
*"Please, stay alert*. *You never know who you might run into*." (Or:
*And* s*tay alert*. *Think of the impact you can make*.) End with music
and show U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway
Administration logo.

The group had many comments regarding this concept. Overall, they liked
this concept better than any of the pedestrian concepts that were
presented to them. They also offered substantial comments and
recommendations to make the ad even more powerful.

-   *"I like that."*

-   *"She contradicts herself when she says she 'wasn't speeding,' but
    then she says she was 'in a hurry and wasn't paying attention.' If
    you took out 'I was in a hurry' it would work."*

-   *"I think it's interesting that she says she 'wasn't drunk.' Like
    anyone could do this."*

-   *"I think it's kind of heavy handed, but maybe that's what you need
    to bring home the message."*

-   *"I think you need that punch. You want to say that it could happen
    to everyone."*

-   *"The ads are going to have to be strong and to the point. I think
    the "go retro" is a soft way of trying to address a very serious
    problem."*

-   *"I think you want to hit the message hard."*

-   *"Maybe you start with 'I don't drink,' and then have a different
    voice say 'I don't do drugs,' etc. and end it with a the baby
    pictures or the mom crying."*

-   *"Have background sounds of cars going by and the teddy bear in the
    cross walk."*

-   *"You don't need the two women together. People are going to realize
    that a kid dying is serious, they don't need to see the women
    together."*

-   *"You could use a teenager in that as a the driver."*

-   *"You could have different versions of the ad."*

-   *"I think this could hit home with pedestrians as well."*

-   *"Overlapping voices saying, 'I never thought this could happen to
    me' at the end would be good."*

-   *"That whole ad could be switched around for a teenage group."*

-   *"You could use a lot of different drivers with this."*

-   *"The way the story flows, it really hits you."*

-   *"Show the teddy bear, but no people, just narration. Just show the
    car and the teddy bear. Then it doesn't matter who the driver is.
    You could have different voices. Then while your watching you can
    imagine the car hitting that person and you can picture whoever you
    want to."*

-   *"At the end you could have all of the voices together. And then a
    child's voice saying 'you never know who you might run into.'"*

Federal Highway Administration

Pedestrian Safety Countermeasures Education

**LISBOA, Inc. Focus Group Topline Summary**

**Drivers -- Washington, DC**

**2/25/02**

The second of two focus groups in Washington, DC was held with drivers.
The purpose of this group was to determine what sorts of public
education messages would capture their interest and attention. The
ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway
Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a
public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers
about existing engineering safety countermeasures designed to protect
pedestrians. The group consisted of ten 18 to 25 year old male and
female drivers who have driven more than 50 miles during the past week.

When asked how frequently the drivers encountered pedestrians when
driving, the participants stated that they see pedestrians *"All the
time, especially in the city."* Some other locations where they drive
near pedestrians included:

-   *"Mostly at crosswalks and intersections."*

-   *"I see them on campus. They jump in the middle of the road. They
    cross anywhere."*

-   *"Parking lots, mall areas, shopping areas. In residential
    communities."*

-   *"A neighborhood where kids are running in the street."*

-   *"I see kids in my neighborhood."*

All of the participants indicated that they are concerned about hitting
or injuring a pedestrian while driving.

-   *"Especially on college campus where pedestrians have the right of
    way."*

-   *"I drive into the city, but I prefer not to because of the fact
    that people are always running around, crossing the street, not
    paying attention."*

-   *"They have those little signs now. . . I knocked one over once."*

The focus group members indicated that, even though they are concerned
about hitting pedestrians, there are occasions when they are not paying
attention to pedestrians. These included parking lots and intersections.

-   *"When I'm backing out \[of a parking spot\]. . . pedestrians are
    famous for not looking."*

-   *"Mostly at intersections when you have to pull out to see what's
    coming."*

-   *"Finding parking spots, you're worried about finding a spot and not
    who's walking around."*

-   *"Pulling out of a parking garage when you're crossing the
    sidewalk."*

-   *"Pedestrians in Ohio are much worse than here. Pedestrians run into
    traffic, at least around here they're more cautious."*

# Next, they were asked to offer their ideas about what we could tell drivers in order to get them to pay more attention to pedestrians. Some of their comments included:

-   *"\[Tell them\] that it could be their sons or daughters. It could
    be someone in your family."*

-   *"Anyone who's been in an accident or knows someone who's been hit
    is pretty sensitive about seeing someone almost hit. It reminds
    them."*

-   *"Outlaw talking on cell phones & driving. Avoid using cell phone or
    listening to loud music while driving. It goes both ways, drivers
    and pedestrians."*

-   *"\[Tell drivers to\] drive slower."*

-   *"Add more speed bumps."*

-   *"I've seen 'Drive with care, walk with caution' on a laminated
    sign. They're all over the place. They're near crosswalks."*

-   *"There are consequences for driving recklessly or not paying
    attention."*

-   *"People walking don't stand out."*

-   *"A lot of the street crossings aren't reflective, so the people
    don't stand out. Many areas of the city, the lanes aren't well
    marked."*

-   *"I'd use some graphic imagery. . . the consequence of actually
    hitting someone. Maybe not somebody actually getting hit, but it
    could be done tastefully . . . an event about to happen or the
    after-effects. Plant something in someone's head."*

-   *"I like what they do with the drunk drivers. . . the little pin and
    the picture. People react more when it's a little kid."*

-   *"I think it happens more than people think."*

-   *"I think that the kid image would be good and make people more
    aware of how important it is. Like seatbelts."*

# Next, the goals of the National Pedestrian Safety Outreach Campaign were outlined for the focus group participants. They were asked to offer their ideas for the campaign. Some of their ideas included:

-   *"When I first got my license, I was 16 and had no appreciation for
    how deadly a car can be. So, one night I was making a turn and I
    heard someone yell and I drove into a traffic light. It's not until
    you actually have an impact . . . until something goes wrong and you
    have an impact that you realize how heavy a car is and how hard it
    is to stop."*

-   *"Someone is driving along and has an accident, the reality of it is
    very un-glamorous. . . that definitely makes an impression."*

-   *"You need to target new drivers especially who aren't really aware
    of the damage cars can do . . . they are a loaded gun."*

-   *"Caution -- driving is dangerous."*

-   *"A light is not worth a life."*

-   *"Show the Beatles in the crosswalk."*

-   *"Show Michael Jordan walking across the crosswalk. . . well, 'you'd
    pay attention to Michael Jordan, why wouldn't you pay attention to
    "Joe Shmoe?"*

-   *"Even as a driver, you're a pedestrian at some point, so you have a
    trust that people will be driving carefully. Without your car,
    you're a pedestrian."*

-   *"Use an image of someone who looks like they're driving, but it's
    just air around them. There's no car actually there."*

-   *"A car is this much metal and steel and if you threw that at
    somebody they'd be in big trouble."*

-   *"If you said, a car kills more than X, you'd go 'Wow.'"*

-   *"Instead of trying to show damage of metal hitting a person, show
    how much the impact of a hammer would be and compare that to a car
    hitting a person. Use something that everyone can relate to."*

-   *"So many people die from cigarettes, so many people die from other
    things & then say how many people die from traffic accidents."*

## Driver Themes

Several concepts and themes for the pedestrian safety campaign were
presented to the group. The first one was presented as a storyboard,
illustrations of the scenes in the PSA mounted to black cardboard for
the group to view while listening to the description of the PSA.

## Driver Concept A: Boy and Dad Leaving Park

First, we see a boy and his Dad leaving a Little League baseball game.
The boy is dressed in uniform and carrying a bat and glove. Father and
son are talking about the game as they walk up the street; we see a
crosswalk in the distance. Driver quickly running out of his/her house
(obviously late/distracted) getting into the car and quickly taking off.
Father and boy approaching crosswalk -- looking down the street left
right left before entering. Inside the car we see the driver...
distracted in thought. From driver's point of view we see in the
distance the cross walk approaching. Then, from the father and boy's
perspective, we see a car heading toward them. Cut to a shot from the
driver's perspective, looking through the windshield---in the distance,
we see the father and son approaching a marked crossing and we see the
yellow warning sign for pedestrians crossing. We see them look left,
right, and left again. Cut to a shot from their perspective and we can
see that the car is coming, but is still some distance away. Cut back
and we see them enter the crosswalk. We see the driver is fumbling with
his stereo. **The father and son are clearly visible, as is the warning
sign for pedestrians crossing, but the driver does not yield.** Then cut
to a close up of the father and son looking in the direction of the car
with great fear on their faces. The camera freezes on father and son and
we hear the sound of screeching tires. Cut to a slow motion visual of
the baseball going up in the air. It comes back down, lands in the
crosswalk and then rolls over to curb in front of the warning sign for
pedestrians crossing. Narrator says: "Every 7 minutes a pedestrian is
killed or injured in a traffic accident. *Yield to pedestrians.* *And*
s*tay alert*. *You never know who you might run into.* (Or: *And* s*tay
alert*. *Think of the impact you can make*.) A message brought to you
by. End with music and show U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal
Highway Administration logo.

The group thought that the images should be more surprising and more
graphic in order to have maximum impact with the audience. They liked
using a child in the ad and thought that this would be sympathetic.
There were several suggestions from group members about different ways
to improve the concept.

-   *"I think the 7 minutes is good, but the 'you never know who you
    might run into' didn't work for me."*

-   *"I think commercials like that, where you can kind of see what's
    going to happen next don't have as much impact. The commercials that
    struck with me were the ones that were kind of non sequitur . . .
    something shocking and unpredictable. PSAs tend to look like PSAs.
    If you made it look like a car commercial people would pay
    attention. If the car is driving down the street and -- oh, my God,
    they hit someone- that would get people to pay attention."*

-   *"Pay attention to who your audience is. When I saw this I thought
    it was about pedestrians."*

-   *"Looking at that last sign \[pedestrian sign\] made me think it was
    for pedestrians."*

-   *"I thought it was about the driver staying more alert. So, I think
    it was targeted toward drivers."*

-   *"I think \[the yield to pedestrian\] tag line is good. I think if
    you can get people to sympathize with the pedestrians then it would
    be good. They can relate that person to the person who gets hit
    relate driver to pedestrian -- mailman, someone the driver knows."*

-   *"Drive to baseball game, get out & they almost get hit."*

-   *"Maybe the driver knows the person they run into. It's not just
    someone you don't know . . . you could hit somebody that you know."*

-   *"You could have a graphic of someone getting out of there car and
    -- 'oh, no that's my neighbor.'"*

-   *"I think \[being graphic\] is important. It helps get the point
    across."*

-   *"It should be graphic."*

-   *"Cigarette commercials are really graphic and that gets the point
    across."*

-   *"If you're going to show the identity of the driver, you should do
    a series of drivers. If you show a young person, older people are
    going to say 'well that's not me, I know how to drive.'"*

-   *"Maybe you could do instead of a father and son, maybe a daughter &
    mother, or kids going to school and a mother leaving the house and
    nearly running over her kids."*

-   *"I guess it would be good to try to relate it to someone that the
    person knows. I guess it's good to have the kid there because
    there's more sympathy for that. But I don't know how you could make
    it more sympathetic, unless it is some kid that everybody knows."*

-   *"You might want to focus on what the speed limit is & focus on the
    speedometer of the car. You could make them speeding or not."*

## Driver Concept B: Photo Album

We see a woman sitting in a chair; the rest of the room is black. She is
looking toward the camera as she tells her story about a car crash in
which she killed a young child. She is obviously still emotional and
shaken by the incident. While she is talking we see blurry images of a
car turning into a crosswalk, a mother is pushing a stroller. The image
freezes on teddy bear flying in mid air from impact. The woman says
something like, "I don't drink, I don't do drugs, and I wasn\'t
speeding. I was just turning at an intersection. I looked to see if any
cars were coming..." Then we see another woman, sitting on a couch in a
very modest living room. She is flipping through a photo album, tears
streaming down her face. We see pictures of a newborn baby, baby's first
birthday, out for a walk in the stroller, playing baseball with Dad,
etc., while we hear the first woman continue, "I was in a hurry and I
wasn't *really* paying attention, so I didn't see them in the crosswalk.
I never thought something like this could happen to me." Cut to a shot
of the two women standing together. The women say something like:
*"Please, stay alert*. *You never know who you might run into*." (Or:
*And* s*tay alert*. *Think of the impact you can make*.) End with music
and show U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway
Administration logo.

The group had many comments regarding this concept. Overall, they liked
this idea and thought that it had more impact. The group had some
suggestions for variations that could be used with this concept
including using actual survivors/family members, including photographs
of victims, and showing jail cells. They thought that the "this could
happen to me" idea would resonate with viewers.

-   *"I think this one works better -- it's more graphic and hits closer
    to home."*

-   *"'Stay alert you never know who you might run into' doesn't work
    with that one. The 'impact' one is better."*

-   *"I think that's what you really need to go after -- be alert when
    driving."*

-   *"You can change someone else's life."*

-   *"Another good ending could be people in jail cells."*

-   *"Another ending could be it might affect your life as well."*

-   *"I think the idea that 'this could happen to me' would hit home
    with people. And I think it would especially if you had people in
    the commercial that this happened to."*

-   *"Maybe you hear the lights come on & it's a policeman or a
    fireman."*

-   *"I think the message that it could be anyone could be good."*

-   *"Have some people holding pictures of people who had died."*

-   *"Use actual people -- not actors."*

-   *"Oh yeah, use real people."*

-   *"I think combining \[every seven minutes\] with this idea works."*

-   *"During this show X number of people will be killed."*

-   *"Do something traffic related & say it takes 7 minutes to do ------
    and in that time a pedestrian was hit."*

[Driver Concept C: Mom and Child]{.underline}

A mother is helping her child get ready for school. She is very
meticulously checking/handing him his lunch, making sure he has his
homework, is dressed properly, etc. The boy walks out the door. Cut to
the woman heading to work, getting in her car. She is obviously in a
hurry, not really paying attention. We see her make a left turn at a
green signal without looking for people in the crosswalk. When she makes
the turn we see the frightened face of *her child* (who is walking in
the crosswalk). We hear the sound of tires screeching and the camera
freezes. The narrator says something like, "Every 7 minutes a pedestrian
is killed or injured in a traffic accident. *Stay alert*. (Show warning
sign for pedestrians crossing.) *You never know who you might run into.*
*The life you save could be your own child*." (Or: *And* s*tay alert*.
*Think of the impact you can make*.) End with music and show U.S.
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration logo.

The last drive PSA concept that was presented to the group elicited
limited feedback. Their reaction to this concept was not as strong as
their reaction to the photo album appeal. With this concept a variation
on the tag line was presented *"Stay alert: the life you save could be
your own child."* The group responded with negative feedback including,
*"No, that doesn't work."*

-   *"The \[photo album and Mom & child\] both have emotional impact."*

-   *"As long as the audience knows that that was her son."*

-   *"When I hear, 'you never know who you might run into' I think
    you're walking down the street and you don't know who you're going
    to meet."*

-   *"I think you use catchy phrases when you're trying to sell
    something or promote something, but you're not trying to sell
    anything."*

# 

# **Print Ads**

After completing their comments on the PSA concepts, the group was shown
a variety of possible driver and pedestrian safety print advertisements.

[Driver Print Ad 1:]{.underline}

> Headline: Stay Alert
>
> Image: Car bumping pedestrian off of the Pedestrian Crossing sign.
>
> Tag line: Think of the Impact You Can Make
>
> Small text, FHWA logo at bottom.

This concept elicited negative comments from the focus group. They
agreed with the text message, but thought that the image did not fit
well with it.

-   *"It doesn't really work for me."*

-   *"It looks like he just got bumped, maybe if his body was mangled or
    something."*

-   *"Maybe if he's under the car."*

-   *"Too cartoonish."*

-   *"I don't know if the visual works so well. I think the message is
    good."*

[Driver Print Ad 2:]{.underline}

## Headline: Stay Alert: You Never Know Who You Might Run Into

> Variation: Stay Alert at Intersections

Tag line 1: You never know who you might run into.

> Variation: Stay Alert Near Crosswalks

Tag line 2: You Never Know Who You Might Run Into

> Image: Close-up of a baby shoe and marbles placed on top of crosswalk
> lines on asphalt.
>
> Small text, FHWA logo at bottom.

This ad was presented with a variation on the tag line. The group's
comments focused on parts of the ad that they thought were unclear. They
suggested making the shoe dirtier and showing skid marks on the
pavement.

-   *"It's not clear that this is a crosswalk."*

-   *"The black and white isn't clear."*

-   *"It needs a tire tread."*

-   *"Maybe a shoe on top of a street mark."*

-   *"Maybe a chalk outline."*

-   *"It looks like the kid untied it and left it in the middle of the
    road."*

-   *"If there were a dirtier shoe and skid marks I think that would say
    it all -- I don't think you'd need any text."*

-   *"I guess the big issue is left turns into a crosswalk. You have the
    right of way making a turn with the green light and there are
    pedestrians there. I guess that's something that needs to be
    addressed."*

-   *"I'd probably put at the end -- 'it's the law.'"*

-   *"I think you're focusing too much on the crosswalk -- it should be
    everywhere -- not just crosswalks. What about other places?"*

-   *"Maybe the intersection could be something else -- a different
    picture."*

-   *"Stay alert . . . when am I staying alert? What am I doing when I
    stay alert?"*

-   *"It doesn't tell you when you need to stay alert."*

-   *"What about 'stay alert when driving -- you never know who you
    might run into."*

-   *"I would get rid of the marbles. The kid could have slipped on the
    marbles."*

-   *"Put a double ad in a magazine -- car brake lights one page & shoe
    on other page. Put them next to each other."*

-   *"I think emphasizing driving is important -- make it clear."*

[Driver Print Ad 3:]{.underline}

# **Headline: Stay Alert at Intersections**

> Image: Two children, a boy and a girl, are standing at intersection.
> The little boy has his arm in front of girl seemingly holding her
> back. There is a blurry image of a car in front of the two children
> and a school crossing sign is visible beyond the car.
>
> Tag line: You Never Know Who You Might Run Into. Small text, FHWA logo
> at bottom.

The drivers liked this print ad and thought that it would be effective
targeting drivers or pedestrians. The participants said they would pay
attention to this print ad with the modifications they specified. They
suggested that seeing the children looking scared might have more of an
emotional pull over viewer.

-   *"I think that works, I think you need 'yield to pedestrians'
    though."*

-   *"I think the 'yield to pedestrians' is good."*

-   *"I think it's good to have 'yield to pedestrians' because I thought
    it was pedestrians who were supposed to stay alert -- like not run
    into the road."*

-   *"I was thinking the stay alert could be related to the
    pedestrians."*

-   *"\[To target drivers\] take the image and have it from inside the
    car looking out at the kids."*

-   *"Maybe you should show the kids from the other way."*

-   *"They look like they're stopped, maybe if they looked surprised."*

-   *"They need to have the scared look."*

-   *"I like the 'stay alert yield to pedestrians better' \[than stay
    alert at crosswalks, stay alert at intersections\]."*

-   *"I might glance through it. I don't know if I'd read every word."*

-   *"Even if they didn't read through it -- the picture says a lot."*

-   *"Put every seven minutes in big letters \[at the top\] and have
    killed or injured in smaller letters at the bottom -- \[so people
    would read it\]."*

-   *"Obviously, the context of where it's placed is important."*

[Pedestrian Print Ad 1:]{.underline}

# **Headline: Go Retro! Get Noticed**

> Tag line: Retro-reflective Clothing Can Save Your Life
>
> Image: Binocular view of runner running along a road away from the
> viewer into an outdoor/landscape scene. Small text and FHWA logo at
> bottom.

The group expressed confusion over the use of the word "retro" and
stated that they do not associated "retro" with retro-reflective wear.

-   *"I don't know what 'retro' is, I would think 70s."*

-   *"Bell bottoms, leisure suits. . ."*

-   *"Yeah, I don't know what that is."*

-   *"I don't think that works at all."*

-   *"I didn't know \[retro-reflective wear\] was called that."*

-   *"Before you told me that I thought 70s."*

-   *"I had no idea what retro-reflective wear is."*

-   *"I'd call it 'that shiny stuff.'"*

-   *"Retro is a catchy term for something that is not catchy yet."*

-   *"A two page ad with a black page and go retro . . . on one page and
    reflective on the other with the person all lit up might be
    clearer."*

-   *"I don't think it's a term people are up on."*

[Pedestrian Print Ad 2:]{.underline}

# **Headline: Go Retro! It Could Save Your Life**

> Tag line: Get Noticed
>
> Image: Female runner wearing retro reflective vest running toward the
> viewer.
>
> Smaller text: Retro reflective Looks that Stop Traffic
>
> Smallest text: Every 7 Minutes a Pedestrian is Killed or Injured In a
> Traffic Accident. FHWA logo at bottom.

The group was critical of the layout and image of this ad. They did,
however, offer two alternatives to the "Get Retro" tag line.

-   *"She looks too happy to have that image there."*

-   *"There needs to be a car there."*

-   *"Get reflective."*

-   *"Shine On."*

-   *"I like the 'get noticed.'"*

-   *"Too many words on the page."*

-   *"I'm still looking and I don't know what you're getting at."*

-   *"She looks like she's in broad daylight."*

-   *"I know that material better as '3M reflective tape.'"*

[Pedestrian Print Ad 3:]{.underline}

# **Headline: Walk Like a Pedestrian**

> Tag line: Walk In the Crosswalk, Not in Between
>
> Image: Four casually dressed adults walking across a crosswalk in
> sync.
>
> Small text below image. "Every 7 Minutes a Pedestrian is Killed or
> Injured in a Traffic Accident" below small text. FHWA logo at bottom.

The participants had positive comments about this print ad and thought
that it was catchy. However, they were confused by the "don't walk in
between. . . " portion of the text.

-   *"That's catchy and good."*

-   *"People can relate to that."*

-   *"I'm not getting the not in between part."*

-   *"Maybe 'Don't be a jaywalker.'"*

-   *"The 'Walk in the cross walk not in between' doesn't make sense to
    me."*

-   *"I like the 'Don't be a jaywalker' idea better."*

-   *"It makes me think of 'Walk Like an Egyptian.' I think that
    works."*

-   *"Is there a Beatles song you could tie in?"*

## [Pedestrian Themes]{.underline}

## Since there was time remaining, the moderators presented a pedestrian PSA concept to the driver group. 

[Pedestrian Concept C: Retro-reflective Play by Play]{.underline}

> [Commentator]{.underline} -- Pre-game chit chat style dialog. Here
> we're introduced to each of the different joggers each one getting
> ready to go out for a jog. Each jogger obviously concerned about
> safety and being seen out in the street at night.
>
> [Jogger 1]{.underline} -- decidedly chooses white clothing (jersey) as
> his main outfit for being seen. Commentators quickly offer comments --
> citing maybe why they think the jogger chose this and how they think
> it will perform on the road
>
> [Jogger 2]{.underline} -- the same as jogger 1 except with different
> clothes (fluorescent). Again, more commentary via the commentators.
>
> [Jogger 3]{.underline} -- Putting on retro reflective clothing.
> Commentators obviously excited about this... sites all the benefits of
> using retro reflective, why they think this will be a clear choice to
> be winner.
>
> All three joggers come running out of the house and as we see them
> start jogging down the street we cut to the interior of an oncoming
> vehicle some distance away from the joggers which are approaching.
> From here we see that the retro reflective jogger is the clear winner
> in being able to be seen from a distance. The commentators excited
> about a no contest winner. He says something like, "Jogger number one
> thought she had it right, but the truth is, wearing white doesn't help
> very much at night. Jogger number two had a good idea, but fluorescent
> colors can really only be seen during the day, and the reflective
> strips---well, unless a car's headlights are shining right at them,
> they're not very effective either. Now, jogger number three hit the
> nail on the head. She's wearing ***retroreflective strips*** and those
> puppies can be seen by drivers much farther away than any other
> material. the narrator say something like, "When you're walking or
> running at night, appearance *does matter*. *Go retro and get
> noticed."* End with music and show U.S. Department of Transportation,
> Federal Highway Administration logo.

##### 

The group had positive comments about the concept. Even though they know
that retro-reflective materials are effective and they liked seeing the
comparison, they said that they still would not wear it.

-   *"I think it works to show people the comparison."*

-   *"I think it's good.*

-   *"That stuff really does make a difference."*

-   *"You see what could be wrong with something that you're wearing."*

-   *"I think you should focus more on the drivers, than on what
    pedestrians need to buy to make themselves safe."*

-   *"I think it's a two way street. If you're going to be out driving
    then I think it's a given that you need this stuff."*

-   *"I like comparing it, but I think it needs to be showing an
    accident. Not a fashion show, we need to avoid them getting hit,
    show the consequences of not using it."*

-   *"I've seen 'jogger people' -- runners wearing it."*

-   *"What's keeping people from wearing this stuff? Do they have it, do
    they know where to get it? Do they think it looks ridiculous?"*

-   *"I think it's definitely something people don't want to wear."*

When asked how we could highlight the use/importance of retro-reflective
wear, the group had several suggestions.

-   *"With that concept of the comparison where there's a dark spot here
    the street light is out and they nearly disappear."*

-   *"Really show the difference it would make instead of words."*

-   *"This idea is pretty out there but . . .you have an attractive
    woman and three people and the woman goes for the guy in the retro
    wear you could say go retro and get noticed."*

-   *"You should think about doing something for Halloween with kids --
    kids getting hit trick or treating."*

-   *"You could have someone who's been hit or hit someone and show then
    at an intersection and tell them what happened. It's not hard to
    find. You could have short clips or 'I got hit here.'"*

**DRAFT RESPONDENT SCREENER FOR**

**NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY**

**ENGINEERING OUTREACH CAMPAIGN**

PEDESTRIAN GROUP II - DC

**Note to Recruiter:** Recruit twelve for a show of 8-10 participants
for each group.

I am calling for LISBOA, Inc., a Washington D.C. communications firm
that is developing a new campaign to improve pedestrian safety. We are
recruiting participants for focus groups that will meet at Ebony Market
Research to discuss your thoughts and feelings about pedestrian safety
and review some messages about pedestrians. This group, which is
scheduled for February 25, 2002 at 6pm, will last for approximately 2
hours. Each participant will receive \$80.00 for his/her time. Would you
be interested in participating? (If yes; continue - if no; thank and
terminate). I need to ask you some questions to determine if you qualify
to participate in the group.

1\. Age (**Note to Recruiter**: Try to obtain a mix in participants'
ages)

-   21-65, continue

-   Other, thank & terminate

2\. Gender

-   Male at least 4 per group, continue

-   Female at least 4 per group, continue

3\. Ethnicity

-   Asian/Pacific Islander at least 2 per group, continue

-   Hispanic, at least 2 per group, continue

-   Other; at least 4 per group, continue

4\. As a pedestrian, on what occasions do you walk?

-   Work

-   School

-   Recreation

-   Errands

-   Other \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

5\. As a pedestrian, have you been exposed to traffic situations more
than once during the past week?

-   (**Note to Recruiter**: traffic situations include walking near
    moving vehicles including intersections, sidewalks, parking lots,
    and roadways.)

-   Yes, continue

-   No, thank & terminate

6\. Do you have children under 10 years of age?

-   Yes, at least four per group, continue

-   No, continue

7\. Do you work outside of the home?

-   Yes, What is your occupation?
    \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_,
    continue

-   No, continue

8\. Are you, or any family member, employed with the Department of
Transportation, the state

DMV, or a law enforcement agency?

-   No; continue

-   Yes; thank and terminate

9\. Are you, or any family member, employed with a marketing, public
relations, or market

research company?

-   No; continue

-   Yes; thank and terminate

10\. Have you participated in a focus group research study during the
past 6 months?

-   No; continue

-   Yes; thank and terminate

> Name:
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
>
> Address:
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
>
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
>
> Telephone: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (Home) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
> (Work)
>
> Assigned to Group
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

# **DRAFT RESPONDENT SCREENER FOR**

# **NATIONAL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY**

# **ENGINEERING OUTREACH CAMPAIGN**

DRIVER GROUP II - DC

**Note to Recruiter:** Recruit twelve for a show of 8-10 participants
for each group.

I am calling for LISBOA, Inc., a Washington D.C. communications firm
that is developing a new campaign to improve pedestrian safety. We are
recruiting participants for focus groups that will meet at Ebony Market
Research to discuss your thoughts and feelings about traffic safety and
review some messages about driving. This group, which is scheduled on
February 25, 2002 at 8pm, will last for approximately 2 hours. Each
participant will receive \$80.00 for his/her time. Would you be
interested in participating? (If yes; continue - if no; thank and
terminate). I need to ask you some questions to determine if you qualify
to participate in the group.

1\. Age

-   18-25, continue

-   Other, thank & terminate

2\. Gender

-   Male at least 5 per group, continue

-   Female at least 3 per group, continue

3\. Ethnicity

-   Asian/Pacific Islander at least 2 per group, continue

-   Hispanic, at least 2 per group, continue

-   Other at least 4 per group, continue

4\. Do you have a valid driver's license?

-   If yes, continue

-   If no, thank & terminate

5\. Approximately how many miles have you driven in the past week?

(**Note to Recruiter**: if more than 50 miles per week, please record
number of miles)

-   More than 50 miles per week, continue \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ miles

-   Less than 50 miles per week, thank & terminate

6\. How many days per week do you drive a car?

-   4 days or more per week, continue

-   Fewer than 4 days per week, thank & terminate

7\. Is driving your primary means of transportation?

-   Yes, include at least 5 per group

-   No, continue

8\. Do you work outside of the home?

-   Yes, What is your occupation?
    \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_,
    continue

-   No, continue

9\. On what occasions do you drive? (**Note to Recruiter**: Record up to
3 answers)

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

10\. Are you, or any family member, employed with the Department of
Transportation, the State

DMV, or a law enforcement agency?

-   No; continue

-   Yes; thank and terminate

11\. Are you, or any family member, employed with a marketing, public
relations, or market

research company?

-   No; continue

-   Yes; thank and terminate

12\. Have you participated in a focus group research study during the
past 6 months?

-   No; continue

-   Yes; thank and terminate

> Name:
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
>
> Address:
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
>
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
>
> Telephone: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (Home) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
> (Work)
>
> Assigned to Group
> \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Description of Focus Group Participants

Washington DC, February 25, 2002

**Pedestrian Group**

  ------------ --------- --------------- ----------------- ------------ ----------------
  **Gender**   **Age**   **Ethnicity**   **Occasions for   **Children   **Occupation**
                                         Walking**         under 10**   

  Female       21        A.A             To School/Work    None         Receptionist

  Male         33        A.A             To Work           One          DJ/Promotions

  Male         50        A.A             Work/recreation   None         Custodian

  Male         54        Hispanic        Work              Yes          Taxi Driver

  Female       48        Hispanic        To run Errands    One          Teacher

  Female       48        A.A             Work/Errands      None         Library
                                                                        Assistant

  Female       26        Asian           To Work           None         Legal Assistant

  Female       37        Asian           To Work           None         WD Director

  Male         35        Caucasian       To Work/Errands   None         Transcript
                                                                        Specialist

  Female       24        Caucasian       Work/School,      None         Manager
                                         Recreation,                    
                                         Errands                        
  ------------ --------- --------------- ----------------- ------------ ----------------

# Driver Group

  ------------ --------- --------------- -------------- ---------- ----------------
  **Gender**   **Age**   **Ethnicity**   **Miles Driven **Days     **Occupation**
                                         in past week** Driven in  
                                                        past       
                                                        week**     

  Female       22        A.A             67 miles       5 days     Unemployed

  Female       24        A.A             190 miles      7 days     Social Worker

  Male         25        A.A             150 miles      7 days     Web design

  Female       21        Hispanic        350 miles      7 days     Retail-sales

  Male         25        Hispanic        400 miles      7 days     Contractor

  Female       25        Asian           250 miles      7 days     Health provider

  Male         18        Hispanic        117 miles      7 days     Unemployed

  Male         25        Caucasian       400 miles      4 days     Program
                                                                   Specialist

  Male         25        Caucasian       200 miles      5 days     Historical
                                                                   Research

  Male         20        Caucasian       100+ miles     4 days     Government
  ------------ --------- --------------- -------------- ---------- ----------------