Clinical trial NCT02437149: Effectiveness of Distracted Driving Campaign
Official title: Effectiveness of Distracted Driving Campaign for Teenagers in the Emergency Department
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Trauma Prevention
Keywords: Texting and driving
Teenager and driving
Distracted Driving Campaign
Lead sponsor: Nicklaus Children's Hospital f/k/a Miami Children's Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2015-05-07
Enrollment: 273
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 15
Maximum age (years): 18
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The study will measure the effectiveness of a distracted driving campaign in the emergency department in teenagers, 15 to 18 years old, to determine if it changes their attitudes towards texting while driving. It will also assess previous knowledge and behaviors in this age group, regarding distracted driving and what educational tool (power point vs. videos vs. brochure) has the most impact changing the attitudes towards texting and driving.

Detailed description: 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.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Adolescents between the ages of 15 to 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* Adolescents refusing to participate in the Distracted Driving Campaign.
* Adolescents visiting the emergency department with a chief complaint related to mental illness, suicide ideation or attempt, or any complaint limiting the ability to complete the questionnaire.
* Adolescents with diagnosis of developmental delay that could affect his or her ability to complete the questionnaire.
* Adolescents that do not speak English (the videos about real people who have had accidents while texting and driving found at http://www.distraction.gov/faces/index.html are available only in English.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Previous knowledge and attitudes towards distracted driving
timeFrame: 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Short Term Effectiveness of the Distracted Driving Campaign
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Long Term Effectiveness of the Distracted Driving Campaign
timeFrame: 6 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Miami
country: United States
facility: Nicklaus Children's Hospital f/k/a Miami Children's Hospital
state: Florida
Study officials:
affiliation: Nicklaus Children's Hospital f/k/a Miami Children's Hospital
name: Michelle Blumstein, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: