Driving? Then “ghost” your loved ones. Researching the emotional “why” and efficacy-led “how” to reduce phone use among young drivers

Purpose On average, one person dies, and seven are injured daily on New Zealand roads. of these, 5% are from being distracted while driving, including by using a mobile phone. This study, a small-scale exploratory one, aims to look at how a mixed-methods research approach guided a road safety campaign that encouraged young drivers to drive distraction-free. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method approach was used. Online discussion boards captured responses to written prompts, images, videos and initial creative concepts. Revised concepts were then tested with the target audience of young drivers. Thematic analysis identified patterns in responses to creatives, while structured exercises were collated descriptively to highlight group-level preferences. Findings The findings showed that young drivers often use their phones while driving out of habit, influenced by pressure to stay socially connected. Also, the most impactful creative strategies for behaviour change integrated both the emotional “why” and the functional “how.” Research limitations/implications A primary limitation of this study was the limited numbers in the research. In total, there were 26 respondents, spread across 14 in the online boards, with a further 12 in the in-depth interviews and online group. Further studies should look to increase the number of respondents for a fuller sample. Practical implications Social marketing practitioners working in the road safety space should look to integrate both an emotional approach (the “why”) and a more instructional approach (the “how) to build efficacy and capability when creating campaigns and interventions to mobile phone use while driving. Social implications The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the context to young drivers’ attitudes, motivations and behaviours towards mobile phone use when driving. Then explore creative approaches and territories to create behaviour change around mobile phone use when driving. Originality/value This study advances the literature on road safety behaviour change interventions. Crucially, it demonstrates that practitioners should integrate both an emotional approach (the “why”) and a more instructional approach (the “how”) to maximise user efficacy and capability.