Evaluation of a Distracted Driving Demonstration Project Tara Casanova-Powell
Evaluation of a Distracted Driving
Demonstration ProjectTara Casanova-Powell
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
TALKING TO A PASSENGER
TEXTING
TALKING ON HANDS FREE
CELL
TALKING ON HAND-HELD
CELL
GLANCING AT GPS
LESS
DISTRACTING
MORE DISTRACTING
Distracted Driving: What is it?
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
-
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000
300,000,000 N
Am
eri
can
s w
/ C
ell P
ho
nes
About 1 Million had
cell phones in 1987
About 50 Million had
cell phones in 1997
In 2009 about 285
Million had cell
phones
or about 91% of all Americans
Distracted Driving: A Growing Problem
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Social Acceptability
Until this year, cell phone use and texting
while driving were likely acceptable
practices.
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Design
• Locations CT:• Intervention: Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford
• Comparison: Stamford, Bridgeport
• 15 observation sites per location
• Locations NY:• Intervention: Syracuse (city proper)
• Comparison: Albany (city proper)
• Observation Site Selection• High traffic volume
• Geographically disperse
• DMV Sites• CT : New Britain & Wethersfield (intervention) Norwalk &
Bridgeport (comparison)
• NY: Syracuse & North Syracuse (intervention), Albany(comparison)
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Earned Media-Press Conference
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Paid Media
Enforcement Activity
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Enforcement Hours and Citations Issued
Wave 1 Wave 2
Hartford Syracuse Hartford Syracuse
Dedicated
Hours1,345 1,370 1,856 1,337
Hand-Held
Phone Use 2,329 2,185 2,327 1,977
Text/E-mail/
Distraction 279 115 21 169
Citations/10K
Population107 167 100 156
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Evaluation: Observations
• Locations around Hartford, CT (Hartford, East Hartford,
West Hartford) and Fairfield County (Stamford,
Bridgeport—comparison).
• Locations around Syracuse, NY (Albany-comparison)
• 15 observation sites per location. Sites selected based
on:
• High traffic volume
• Geographic dispersity
• 1 hour at traffic lighted intersections of the green light
traffic
• Observed hand held use, blue tooth use, and
manipulating devices.
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Observed Hand-Held Phone Use in Connecticut
6.8
4.34.6
3.1
6.6
5.95.6
5.3
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Wave 1 Wave 2
% H
old
ing
Ph
on
e t
o E
ar
Hartford Bridgeport/Stamford
Pre Post Pre Post
N=19300 N=19370 N=18962 N=19444
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Observed Hand-Held Phone Use in New York
3.7
3.2 3.2
2.3
5
3.9
4.5
3.9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Wave 1 Wave 2
% H
old
ing
Ph
on
e t
o E
ar
Syracuse Albany
Pre Post Pre Post
N=10503 N=11120 N=11051 N=11418
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Evaluation: Awareness Surveys
CT-New Britain, Wethersfield (Hartford Area)
Norwalk, Bridgeport (comparison)
NY-Syracuse, N. Syracuse
Albany (comparison)
1 page survey
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
In the Past Month, Have You Seen or Heard About Distracted
Driving in [Connecticut/New York]?
59% 56%
64%
52%
76%
62%
78%
23%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Hartford Control Syracuse Control
% R
esp
on
din
g Y
es
Connecticut New York
Pre Wave 1 Post Wave 2
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Awareness of “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the
Other” Slogan in Connecticut and New York
5% 5% 5% 4%
47%
10%
21%
5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Hartford Control Syracuse Control
% R
ep
ort
ing
Reco
gn
itio
n
Connecticut New York
Pre Wave 1 Post Wave 2
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
What do you think the chances of getting a ticket if you
use a hand-held cellular phone while driving?
15%
22% 22%
17%
22%20%
26%
15%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Hartford Control Syracuse Control
% A
lways o
r N
earl
y A
lways
Connecticut New York
Pre Wave 1 Post Wave 2
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Strictness of Enforcement Hand-Held Phone Law
39%37%
42%
48%
40%38%
55%
42%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Hartford Control Syracuse Control
% S
tric
t o
r V
ery
Str
ict
Connecticut New York
Pre Wave 1 Post Wave 2
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
In the past month, have you seen or heard about police
enforcement focused on hand-held cellular phone use?
31% 32%
41%34%
57%
39%
78%
41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Hartford Control Syracuse Control
% R
esp
on
din
g Y
es
Connecticut New York
Pre Wave 1 Post Wave 2
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Conclusions
• Cell phone ticketing was great.
• Observation data show a decrease in use.
• Awareness data-remarkably high
6 in 10 heard something about distracted driving.
Although motorists believe dangerous, still do it.
• There was an increase in:
message recognition
perceived strictness of enforcement
those who got a ticket
those who heard of enforcement
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Questions?
Lifesavers 2011 March 27th-29th Phoenix, AZ
Contact Information
Tara Casanova-Powell
Preusser Research Group
7100 Main St. Trumbull, CT 06611
203-459-8700 ext. 109
Funded by: US Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
COTR: Ian Reagan