The impact of a collaboratively designed digital intervention on views of police legitimacy and reported young driver offending

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a collaboratively designed digital road safety intervention on a sample of young drivers and their self-reported traffic offending behaviours before and after the digital intervention. Design/methodology/approach This research involved surveying young drivers who shared their driving behaviours and views of police legitimacy through both in-person and online surveys. Analytical methods, including descriptives and hierarchical regressions, were used to examine the differences between participants who received the intervention versus those in a control group. Participants were also separated based on their involvement in a police-led road safety program before the intervention. Findings The findings of this study indicated that young drivers who received the intervention showed no improvements in their reported offending behaviour immediately following or three months following the delivery of the intervention. However, views of police legitimacy were a significant predictor and correlated with the reported offending behaviour among young drivers. Practical implications This study provides critical insights for policymakers and road safety educators by demonstrating the potential and limitations of digital interventions in altering young drivers’ behaviours. The findings suggest that while digital platforms can effectively communicate road safety messages, traditional face-to-face methods like the Life Awareness Workshop program may be more impactful in changing behaviours. Policymakers should consider integrating digital interventions with conventional programs to enhance their effectiveness. Additionally, fostering positive views of police legitimacy can be a crucial strategy in encouraging compliance with road rules among young drivers, thereby improving overall road safety. Originality/value This research indicates that while the co-design intervention proved promising to ensure that an evidence-based road safety message would be delivered to young drivers in an appropriate manner, in this case, that did not lead to any significant changes in driver behaviour. These results highlight the difficulty in reaching young drivers to affect a behaviour change digitally and indicate that further research is required.