DfT Speed Qualitative Research Debrief 17.07.08 OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS Objectives and Methodology Driver Attitudes, Myths and Beliefs What is Speeding? The Communication Challenge Specific Response to Concepts Thoughts.
Download ReportTranscript DfT Speed Qualitative Research Debrief 17.07.08 OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS Objectives and Methodology Driver Attitudes, Myths and Beliefs What is Speeding? The Communication Challenge Specific Response to Concepts Thoughts.
1 DfT Speed Qualitative Research Debrief 17.07.08 2 OVERVIEW OF CONTENTS Objectives and Methodology Driver Attitudes, Myths and Beliefs What is Speeding? The Communication Challenge Specific Response to Concepts Thoughts on the Way Forward 3 Objectives and Methodology The Research Challenge KEY RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: To identify the most motivating, engaging and relevant strategic platform for DfT to encourage slower, more responsible driving within a given speed limit To develop a compelling execution of the platform in order to maximise impact on behaviour 4 Our Approach Our approach - an overview Stage 1a: Gathering context and fine-tuning territories Stage 1 Uncovering Territories Bulletin board Stage 1b: Understanding driving worlds and exploring territories. Identifying most motivating territories Individual and paired ‘destination’ depths Mini groups Stage 2 Creative Development Stage 2: Identifying and optimising the most powerful creative routes Mini-groups preceded by individual depth interviews with each respondent 5 Our Approach in more detail INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS GROUP FORUM To establish individual attitudes and feelings: To examine the interaction of these different perspectives: • To allow us to understand each participant and their spontaneous response to the script/idea • To allow participants to feel their personal view has been heard, empowering them to be a candid as possible • A creative and dynamic environment • Allows us to explore how the public forum influences privately-held views • To develop ideas and take them forwards Requires 2 moderators to be present for the individual interviews 6 Sample & Methodology Stage 1a Bulletin board (8 participants) Speeding typology Location Demographics 1 Deliberate Speeders South male 22-29 (with children) 2 Thrillseeker North male 17-21 (pre children) 3 Thrillseeker Midlands male 40-60 (Empty nester) 4 Deliberate Speeders Wales female 22-29 (pre children) 5 Inadvertent Speeders Midlands female 30-39 (with children) 6 Deliberate Speeders Wales Male 17-21 (pre children) 7 Inadvertent Speeders South Male 30-39 (with children) 8 Inadvertent Speeders North Female 40-60 (With children) We would aim for participants to include a mix of those predominantly driving on urban roads and those predominantly driving on rural roads 7 Sample & Methodology Stage 1b x4 paired depths and x4 individual depths Speeding typology Demographics Location & predominant road type 1 Paired Thrillseekers Males 17-21 (pre children) Bridgend (urban) 2 Paired Deliberate Speeders Females 30-39 (with children) South Wales (rural) 3 Paired Inadvertent Speeders Females 22-29 (no children) North (rural) 4 Paired Deliberate Speeders Male 40-60 (with children) Northampton (urban) 5 Individ Inadvertent Speeders Male 22-29 (pre children) Leeds (urban) 6 Individ Deliberate Speeders Female 17-21 (pre children) Greater London (urban) 7 Individ Thrillseekers Males 30-39 (with children) Midlands (rural) 8 Individ Inadvertent Speeders Female 40-60 (empty nester) South East (rural) 8 Sample & Methodology Stage 1b x8 mini groups (6 participants recruited for 4) Speeding attitude Demographics / lifestage Location & predominant road type 1 Spread males, 30-39 BC1 (with children) North (rural) 2 Spread Males 40-60 C2D (mix with children/empty nest) Bridgend (urban) 3 Spread Males 22-29 BC1 (mix with/without children) South East (rural) 4 Spread Females 17-21 C2D (pre children) Midlands (urban) 5 Spread Females 30-39 BC1 (with children) Greater London (urban) 6 Spread Mmales 17-21 C2D (pre children) South Wales (rural) 7 Spread Females 40-60 BC1 (mix with children/empty nest) Leeds (urban) 8 Spread Males 22-29 C2D (mix with/without children) Midlands (rural) 9 Sample & Methodology x8 mini groups (6 participants recruited for 4) Stage 2 Speeding attitude Demographics / lifestage Location & predominant road type 1 Spread males, 30-39 BC1 (with children) North (rural) 2 Spread Males 40-60 C2D (empty nester) Bridgend (urban) 3 Spread Males 22-29 BC1 (pre children) South (rural) 4 Spread Females 17-21 C2D (pre children) Midlands (urban) 5 Spread Females 30-39 BC1 (with children) Greater London (urban) 6 Spread males 17-21 C2D (pre children) South/Mid Wales (rural) 7 Spread Females 40-60 BC1 (with children) Leeds/Manc (urban) 8 Spread Males 22-29 C2D (with children) Midlands (rural) 10 Sample & Methodology Further Criteria: All respondents to admit driving faster than the speed limit on occasion DfT ‘Impatience index’ will be used as part of recruitment questionnaire to help identify correct speeding typology A broad spectrum of car types will be covered A proportion of sample will drive as part of their job All screened for confidence / articulacy 11 Sample & Methodology Project team David Burrows – Director Tom Silverman – Associate Director Richard Hall – Project Director Jeannie Foulsham – Research Executive Ashley Mauritzen – Research Executive 12 13 Driver mindsets, myths and beliefs Target groups and their driving lives Rural and urban drivers are a product of their majority driving experience Rural Urban Freedom - where driving is personal and enjoyable Restriction – where driving is policed and a chore Familiarity with roads fuelling (over)confidence – a place to cut loose Some urban rebellion against claustrophobic experience Rural roads offer place for expression that urban drivers crave and rural drivers regularly indulge 14 15 “There’s a great road round here that I know really well. If you know the roads really well, then it’s easy. You know every bend and passing point. Then I can really go for it at speed. It is even better at night because you can see people coming from miles away. It’s really fast. Female, 40-59, family / empty nesters, Leeds (urban) “If we all had our own little racecourse that would be great. It is other people that make driving not fun.” Female, 30-39, family, London Road rage. There are more cars on the road, more congestion. I weekly have a row with someone.” Male, 20-29, Midlands (rural) “I’ve done 50. if the road’s open and there’s no traffic or people. Chester Road is great. It’s dead straight, long and no turn-offs. I can see straight. I’m confident and pick up speed.” Male, 22-29, Midlands (rural) Target groups and their driving lives Genders seeming to react against their stereotypes Female Male The stereotype Bad drivers - cautious – desire to be safe The stereotype Over-confident - careless – irresponsible The reaction Enjoyment of speed / nippy driving The reaction Thoughtful, about skill and judgment – making the right decision (esp. older) Creates overall picture where both genders arrive at similar place, at times safe at times dangerous 16 Target groups and their driving lives 17 Age a defining differentiator of driving values and attitudes Younger EXPLORERS (& OUTLAWS) of the road Confident in ability Enjoying freedom / road experience. Skills demonised by elders, happy to rebel – driving still fun Older RULERS of the road SAGES of the road Perception of perfect Feeling need to be moral balance of experience leader - considerate – and mental agility – observe good practice drive fast but purposefully - sense of entitlement Over time, greater sense of responsibilities / reducing enjoyment but strong sense of alienation between each end of age spectrum Target groups and their driving lives Young people tend to break the speed limit; they live for today, feel invincible and don’t consider the consequences Female, Bulletin board, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds People that keep to the speed limit are older, boring, anally retentive; let’s face it, there’s more to life than checking the speed limit religiously Female, Bulletin board, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds I think a lot of it is to do with experience. In my 20s it was totally different. I thrashed the nuts of my car. Everywhere at 90. In truth I don’t think I ever got anywhere quicker… It is to do with personal development. It is to do with growing as a person. Male, 30-39, family, Leeds (rural) 18 Target groups and driving self-image 19 AND across ALL driving groups there is extreme confidence (delusion?) about ‘my driving ability’ I am… A great driver Confident Capable of stopping if I need to Able to handle speed Experienced Sure I know these roads best Others are… Too slow (dangerous) Take risks they cannot handle Make the wrong decisions Compromise my safety Women Men The old The young HGV drivers Salesmen etc. These factors contribute to a sense of EGOCENTRISM on the road Target groups and driving self-image “I’m safe but a bit on the nippy side. I like to get where I’m going. I have quick reactions.” Female, 30-39, family, London “I know I am a good driver – I am. You make your own route. I see the gaps and I carve my own route.” Female, 30-39, family, London “I was brought up with the ethos, don’t worry about your driving – it is good – worry about all the other idiots on the road.” Female, 30-39, family, London 20 Target groups and driving attitudes People’s approach to driving cannot be easily categorised by mutually-exclusive behavioural typologies Inadvertent Deliberate Thrill seeker ‘I never purposely speed, it’s always accidental’ ‘I only speed when I have to’ ‘I love the feel of speed’ Distraction in the car – conversation etc Late for an appointment, driving situation requires it Any opportunity to speed BUT… 21 Target groups and driving attitudes 22 Although drivers may exhibit predominantly one behaviour, actions are driven more by occasion Average driver ‘I didn’t purposely speed, it was accidental ‘I only sped because I had to’ Distraction in the car – conversation etc Late for an appointment, driving situation required it Inadvertent Deliberate ‘There was nothing on the road and I just wanted to feel the speed’ Thrill seeking Target groups and driving attitudes And of these moments, it seems the most considered / broad-reaching occasion is Deliberate speeding Average driver ‘I only sped because I had to’ Late for an appointment, driving situation required it Inadvertent Deliberate Thrill seeking Deliberate speeding offers greatest opportunity to approach drivers when in ostensibly most ‘rational’ mindset more on this later 23 24 What is Speeding? Speed and Speeding Speeding beliefs are informed by a number of factors: SPEED LIMITS Speed cameras – what a joke they are. Safety cameras? Really? Then why is no discretion shown if you are driving down a dual carriageway at 3am and you’re doing 45mph instead of 40mph then why do you get a fine and a fixed penalty? Male, 25, Deliberate, London Arbitrary limits Sense of misaligned ‘logic’ – road experience not matching authority’s judgment – drivers feel able to challenge this authority Speed is not absolute Affected by: Conditions Specific road knowledge Personal competence Drivers left feeling THEY are in best position to judge appropriate speed on THEIR roads 25 Speed and Speeding On motorways I will break the speed limits because it is a safe place to do so…What’s the harm in speeding on a safe road? Male, 19, Deliberate, Bridgend It is hard to stick to the limit on roads which I have driven many times and know there is no risk and to honest no need for there to be a 30mph limit Female, 29, Deliberate, Bridgend People know when they are speeding and if you are speeding and don’t realise it this is because the excess you are driving at is hardly worth calling speeding! [33 in a 30 is not speeding – 65 in a 30 is speeding!] Male, 19, Deliberate, Bridgend On the way home there is a dual carriageway with no pedestrians etc and I do speed up there, it probably doesn’t save me any time, but I have always done it Male, 21, Thrillseeker, Leeds 26 Speed and Speeding Indeed an ability to handle speed one of key criteria of being a good driver “I drive fast. All the time. I think I’m quite good at driving. Quick but confident.” Male, 22-29, Midlands (rural) “I’m a good driver. I like to go fast but I’m not stupid. I only go faster when I go through a stretch of road, not around corners. It’s controlled. I speed at times but I’m confident and reliable.” Male, 17-21, Thrill Seeker, pre family, Bridgend Aligning notion of good and bad driving with speed inherently flawed in driver’s mind – concepts need to carefully avoid this tone 27 Speed and Speeding Consequently, people make assessments about risks involved, putting themselves at the centre of equation RISK JUDGMENT Sense that ‘I am in control’ therefore any accident is ‘out of my control’ CONSEQUENCE PERCEPTION ‘It’s just so unlikely to happen to me’ Belief in low probability – possible previous experience of ‘prang’ that turned out OK When considered from ego-centric perspective, assessments of risk can feel dislocated from broader environment 28 Speed and Speeding Which is further emphasised by belief in modern car technology – state’s motives outdated and questionable Cars are not what they were So State’s motives MUST be financial Camera’s etc. there only to provide money Designed for impact – super ‘safe’ Cars designed to cocoon Super quiet, Great diagnostics – dislocation from road / environment Fuelling cynicism - sense of isolation from society Myopic driver 29 Speed and Speeding Penalising the motorist is what the government does best – arguably with the exception of penalising the smokers (and that’s coming from a nonsmoker!) Male, 25, Deliberate, London 30 31 The Communication Challenge An Appraisal of the Challenge for a Speed Campaign The objective of encouraging safer driving and making speeding socially unacceptable encounters some significant challenges: THE ‘HYBRIDITY’ PHENOMEMON: DRIVER + CAR = A NEW ENTITY FAST IS FUN (AND ‘NATURAL’) RATIONAL REJECTION OF RISK NOT ONLY TACKLING ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS, BUT EFFECTING A BEHAVIOURAL SHIFT WHICH IS LASTING AND CONSISTENT 32 An Appraisal of the Challenge for a Speed Campaign THE ‘HYBRIDITY’ PHENOMEMON: DRIVER + CAR = A NEW ENTITY A sense that people behind the wheel are almost transformed into a new (more instinctively ‘animal’?) being – not directly answerable to the person they are in other contexts INSULATED, IN A BUBBLE Individualism/Ego Dislocation from wider society and normal rules Accentuated by nature of modern driving experience: highly automated, little unmediated feedback, low engine and exterior noise, use of other media MAGNIFICATION OF ASPECTS OF SELF-IDENTITY AND EMOTIONS Power Control Territorial impulse Excitement, thrill Anger, resentment Intolerance, bigotry Desire etc 33 An Appraisal of the Challenge for a Speed Campaign FAST IS FUN (AND ‘NATURAL’) FREEDOM FROM PHYSICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS (poor body image, family/work duties, etc) An (almost legal) high Rejection of perceived growing straitjacket of social responsibility Why have a car which is capable of going fast if you never get the chance to?: Either because not allowed to or because traffic precludes it in most cases All this in the context of a sense of saturation with ‘be responsible’/’do the right thing’ messaging 34 An Appraisal of the Challenge for a Speed Campaign RATIONAL REJECTION OF RISK A widespread tendency to distance oneself from the probability of an incident happening: More likely to happen to other kinds of driver (boy racers/doddery pensioners/women/men – delete as appropriate) It’s never happened to me/anyone I know It might, but what are the odds? Set against this, a very ‘rational’ weighing up of the tradeoff vs. other imperatives impinging on choice to speed: Busy lives Often in a hurry More than my job’s worth to be latest Etc etc An underlying belief in having weighed up the risks (underpinned by an equally ‘reasonable’ sense that ‘I’m like most people’ in this regard) 35 An Appraisal of the Challenge for a Speed Campaign 36 All the above add up to a considerable challenge both in engaging the LEFT (rational) and RIGHT (emotional) brain LEFT BRAIN RIGHT BRAIN People have the ‘theory’ But too rarely the ‘practice’ Facts, objective recognition that speeding is an issue, etc. Too many get-outs Distance selves from full-on emotional appraisal of what’s happening when you get behind the wheel of a car THINK! DO!! FEEL! Ultimately a widespread sense that speed awareness messaging is thought-provoking at the time of viewing, but has typically not permeated sufficiently to effect consistent and lasting behaviour change The Communication Challenge Lucky’ has laid strong foundations – strong recall / comprehension of 40 being TOO fast – speed is an issue Has placed 30/40mph right inside (rational) psyche BUT Not loaded with sense of emotional realism – (Tim Burton, fairytaleesque) Time to move beyond children? Some sense of immunity about this approach Feeling that time is right to build on good work Lucky has done 37 38 Response to the Concepts Overview of how Concepts Working Inevitably, static concepts and stock photography will never do justice to the range and complexity of the issues Can encourage people into an overly rational position (but even before introduction of concepts this is the standard position): women typically profess to be more influenced by facts than emotional appeals Some tendency to want to push the hard-hitting, visceral, physically graphic – as if only this can puncture the sense of familiarity, complacency and automatic thinking around the subject (esp. among men – a superficial sense that the ‘bigger the bang, the greater the shock’ We have thought of the concepts as triggers or springboards into the emotionally and cognitively complex arena of speeding – no single approach emerges as the ‘answer’, but a clear direction comes out from a fusion of the most resonant and impactful approaches 39 Overview of Response to Concepts 40 The concepts tend to fall naturally into a series of groupings: WE RATIONALLY-LED ME ME AND THE (OPEN) ROAD ME AND MY ABILITY DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ME AND MY POCKET Three times 41 Country road-specific messaging feels new – but more intriguing than impactful Real value in targeting messages to specific types of road - esp. rural roads vs typical focus on 30mph zones Powerful language here has initial impact: “smash”, “die”, “crash that kills” Interesting and new statistic about being ‘three times more likely to die’ – but too broad: needs to home in on specific moment or behaviour Lack of specificity on behaviour, attitude or occasion make this unlikely to prompt a behaviour change 42 “I think that is a very strong message for country drivers but those living in urban environments will think ‘jolly good – not me’ and put their foot down.” Female, 30-39, family, London “The only interesting thing about that for me is that you are three times more likely – I didn’t know that. I would imagine it is urban built up that would have those levels.” Male, 30-39, family, Leeds (rural) I just don’t find this as shocking because I would be doing it to myself and no one else would be hurt Female, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds Die Alone Emotionally powerful and initially shocking idea but implications are limited to ‘ME’ (at best) Horrifying idea – especially the headline Believable, and impactful (especially via highly graphic image, and horror of dying alone) BUT ‘Just me and the road, if I speed then it’s my own life I’m risking’ Almost epic graphicness tends to feel manipulative and overplayed for most Arguably, greater impact with those largely driving in urban areas for whom this is about a specific, less familiar driving moment Rural drivers more comfortable with the realities or rural road, and therefore less shockable 43 44 “I’d rather kill myself than someone else.” Female, 17-21, pre family, Midlands (urban) This concept is a bit scaremongering…in any case, we have air bags etc in cars and you can’t really go that fast on country roads Female, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds 10/10 for this one…the thought alone is enough to make people think more carefully about speeding on a country road Male, 19, Deliberate, Bridgend Bend A discourse on skill rather than speeding Handling bends a key definition of driver skill / car capability Bends are fun for many / some can be dangerous even at under 30mph: thus less a ‘speeding’ issue Sense that this is old news, the ‘abc’ of driving teaching Aligning a driving pleasure (esp. one perceived as partly unrelated to speed) to danger creates willingness to disbelieve 45 46 I do have a lot of confidence when I drive on country roads but you never know who you’ll meet coming the other way… It’s scary. Female, 40-59, family / empty nesters, Leeds (urban) Driving country roads, it’s just the best place to be, it’s all about the bends really. I want to get every corner absolutely nailed. I love that perfection. Male, 40, family, London (urban) (motorcyclist as well as car driver) Skill 47 Mixed message in narrative (speed only for the best) offers incentive to drive faster (I am the best) Ability to handle speed already perceived as sign of good driving – association of skill and speed enforces drivers’ aspirational desire to drive fast Lewis Hamilton - sexy side of speed More about skill than speed (leading to calls for driving qualifications, maybe, but not tackling speeding attitudes) Sense of not really knowing what the argument is, what is relationship between skill / speed – are there times when speeding is appropriate? Reinforcing rather than challenging 48 I don’t agree with the statement ‘fast drivers are usually out of control’ Male, 19, Deliberate, Bridgend It is cliched and the wording is misleading. I think it is patronising and doesn’t make me think twice about speeding or slowing down. I just want to tear the concept to pieces Female, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds Wallet 49 A pragmatic approach with high relevance for many but raising questions of accuracy and appropriateness Tapping into current theme of economic hardship: increasing awareness of speed/fuel/cost dynamic and some drivers already slowing down as a result BUT Feeling that it relates most strongly to acceleration and braking Real fuel-saving driving tactics may not always result in safe driving practices Optimal speed for many cars is 50+mph Effective for some but a flawed argument and questions around appropriateness for DfT: ‘are they trying to trick me into slowing down?’; ‘shouldn’t they tackle dangerous driving more directly?’ Role as separate below the line strand? 50 “I spend quite a lot on petrol so I’d definitely slow down to save it. I genuinely thought the faster you go the more you save.” Male, 17-21, Thrill Seeker, pre family, Bridgend This is encouraging me to drive at 50 mph on a 70mph road…That’s where accidents can happen. If I’m stuck behind someone going 50 on a 70 road, then I lose my temper and cannot wait to overtake, 9/10 times I pull out to get past them and don’t look behind me! Male, 19, Deliberate, Bridgend “It doesn’t have the impact. It is good because it is telling you about the money but it doesn’t hit you.” Female, 30-39, family, London Before you Know it 51 Straight and accessible (eg. tangible facts: ‘Length of bus’), but rationally questionable for many Too matter-of-fact? Sense that ‘before you know it’ means this kind of accident would be unavoidable - ‘the child’s fault’ Usage of 35mph feels like it is splitting hairs cf 40/30mph message – weakens rather than strengthens the idea The get out: Everyone’s different - my reactions are quicker than most – I could stop There is no emotional hook here to prompt real consideration, and on a rational level it feels too easy to abdicate responsibility 52 “It should be the effects of what you’ve done not the action of doing it. It’s not how it has been done…” Male, 30-39, family, Leeds (rural) This feels like I am being spoken to or told off by an elder. Male, 21, Thrillseeker, Leeds “You can see the hazards coming and react. People have different reaction times. I have quick reactions” Male, 22-29, Midlands (rural) Without Realising 53 An familiar experience but low on impact Using a passive moment to generate concern creates little sense of impact – despite universal recognition of the ‘automatic’ phenomenon Speedometer watching feels equally if not more dangerous than speeding: reductive of the range of faculties a driver needs to engage 5mph difference compounds sense of a concept that nit-picks Provokes rational response that quickly allows easy get-outs in the concept. AND Inadvertent speeding is a difficult behaviour to address directly 54 “I don’t want to be checking my speed all the time. It’s almost like ‘what do you want me to look at – the road or the bloody dial?!” Female, 30-39, family, London People know when they are speeding. If you don’t realise it this is because the excess you are driving at is hardly worth calling speeding! [33 in a 30 is not speeding – 65 in a 30 is speeding!] Male, 19, Deliberate, Bridgend Acceleration Focus of acceleration not addressing main potential dangers or hot buttons in drivers’ minds The element that resonates most here is about inadvertent speeding. However, the insight tends to be taken as a get out clause (didn’t know = not responsible?) For many, acceleration happens within the speed limit. Pushback on sense of overclaim about dangers AND Fails to challenge driver assumptions about choices and control Feels like a side issue, not covering major behavioural problems that need to be addressed 55 56 This stands out for me because I know when I am in control, but sometimes I don’t know the speed I am going at. Accelerating is something I enjoy and sometimes you don’t think about the speed it takes you to. Female, 30-39, family, Leeds Most times you’re accelerating just to get up to the speed limit – or to overtake. It’s not really about speeding Male, 30-39, family, Leeds 30/40 Simple and thought-provoking, but familiar message – little here to provoke reappraisal Extremely high recall of this fact from Lucky – little need for repetition But still successful as powerful statistic, bringing to life small margins associated with significant damage Simplicity of using road sign may be impactful: re-building the significance of speed limits in drivers’ minds; creating visual link The 30/40mph fact has already been fairly effectively communicated – greater opportunity now in building on and evolving this message (eg. dramatising wider ramifications) 57 58 This message is about built up areas where there’s more chance of hitting someone. This is not about other types of roads. This, to me, isn’t speeding. 40 isn’t really speeding.” Female, 40-59, family / empty nesters, Leeds (urban) “They’ve gone too far with this one. It’s been around too long.” Female, 17-21, pre family, Midlands (urban) Could Kill Someone Else Undeniably powerful approach on a range of levels Choice/control About puncturing the bubble in which drivers operate, and provoking thoughts on wider social impact Image of smiling family can have greater impact than depiction of the horror of accident: this is what I will destroy (mine/theirs); consequences beyond moment of impact Living with guilt For many, worse than death itself Strong emotional focus on choice and consequence takes accident situation beyond collision – helps create bigger picture, begins to puncture ‘ME’ bubble But greater impact if located in a more specific, tangible moment? 59 60 We don’t often think about how it will affect an innocent family, apart from us/the car/the insurance. It would make me die, say you knew them or they went to your child’s school etc Paula, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds “It makes you think of your family. How would you feel if it was you mate or mum that got killed? Don’t think from the other point of view…”” Female, 17-21, pre family, Midlands (urban) Might Kill Someone Else Shift away from focus on DRIVING (over which ‘I have control’) towards INNOCENT OTHERS (who had no choice in the matter) can potentially disrupt the individual risk management mindset of drivers Image opens up a whole range of imagined scenarios and imagined victims Imagine one of the family members erased from the photo My family? Someone else’s? Child killed? (on road?, in back seat? Family loses a father? Devastation of the family unit as an incredibly powerful emblem for the consequences of speeding on wider society and relationships 61 Acceleration Again, focus on effects on others taps into a powerful emotional seam Successfully expressing longevity and breadth of tragedy – going far beyond the moment of impact Impact on others tends to be much more resonant than injury/death for self – powerfully illustrated here through focus on the multitude of victims. Repeated word ‘devastate’ especially potent Pushback against 35mph – not anchored in existing speeding communications. Weakened by previous 40/30 messaging Puncturing the ‘ME’ bubble without apportioning blame, a delicate balance well maintained 62 63 “It is taking it out of just you. It is talking about how other people would feel. It is that chain reaction. It filters right through your loved ones.” Male, 30-39, family, Leeds (rural) “It is not the fact that you killed someone. It is the fact that you were speeding. It has gone from an accident to a blameworthy incident… You put your foot down. ” Male, 30-39, family, Leeds (rural) Family A potentially powerful build on totality of lurid emotional detail, especially strong for (older) males – but polarising in current form, and rejected by younger women WHEN RESONATING Challenging position of authority within family tackles notions of pride, and suggests power to infiltrate ‘ME’ moments As much about SHAME as GUILT: most of all how could you face your own child if you’d killed a child? A hugely unforgiving emotional rake into the mind captures the devastating consequences almost more than merely focusing on the victim – but… 64 Family Focus on family can prompt rejection: esp. from (younger) women WHEN NOT RESONATING Sense that your family would be the most understanding and supportive It’s wider society (neighbours, kids at school, etc) who would be the harshest judges The fundamental notion of how you’d be thought of is still powerful though: sense of your reputation, your name no longer in your. Reduced to a killer. Needs support from more explicit behaviour change approaches, but emotionally this feels part of a resonant story 65 66 “It is that sudden realisation that it could tarnish you for the rest of your life for one mistake that you make. It is that split second – other people are mortal… You want your kids to think the best of you as well. They would have a totally different impression of you before and after.” Male, 30-39, family, Leeds (rural) The factual ones are better than the heavy emotional ones. If you read something too horrible you ignore it. You’re not thinking of yourself as a potential killer every time you go for a drive. It is too big a jump from going for a normal drive to get all the way to killing someone and telling your family.” Female, 40-59, family / empty nesters, Leeds (urban) Children A series of interesting facts, but a lack of emotional messaging to pull them together Key fact: ‘Thousands of children are killed or injured’ A shocking number, adds proximity to headline claim – likely to have happened near me, harder to ignore BUT Most respondents claim to be driving slowly around schools etc and to be taking precautions So… ‘If a kid runs out in front of my car, it won’t really be my responsibility’ Feels more ‘interesting’ than emotionally impactful – easy to think of in broad societal terms rather than connected to own driving habits AND Children has become almost a ‘cliché’ of Speed campaigns 67 68 “That thousands on there – I didn’t even notice it until now. It just makes it seem like it is a fact of life that is accepted. It has to be fought against!” Female, 30-39, family, London “Why children? It’s emotional blackmail.” Female, 17-21, pre family, Midlands (urban) I think that this concept is aimed at me; it really makes me look at it and shudder, it could have been me! Paula, 40, Inadvertent, Leeds 69 Thoughts on the Way Forward The Way Forward So, a number of big overarching themes emerge, which can inform the development of powerful communication PUNCTURING THE BUBBLE OF ‘ME’ CHALLENGING THE DISCOURSE OF CONTROL, CHOICE AND FREEDOM CHALLENGING APPRAISAL OF RISK AND PERSONAL RELEVANCE DEVELOPING RATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL MESSAGING WHICH IS MUTUALLY COMPLEMENTARY 70 The Way Forward PUNCTURING THE BUBBLE OF ‘ME’ An opportunity to relate the act of driving, and the persona of the driver, to the wider world Rupturing their splendid isolation Reestablishing a connection to the social ecosystem to which they belong Reminding them of the potential consequences of their actions The wider discourse of social responsibility is double-edged here: but with the right approach, it can provide a framework for behaviour change, rather than antagonise 71 The Way Forward 72 CHALLENGING THE DISCOURSE OF CONTROL, CHOICE AND FREEDOM Control is central to the driving discourse and its mythology of personal freedom It is important not to completely undermine this (and imperil people’s necessary sense of confidence behind the wheel; or kill the joy which the right kind of control can bring) BUT There are elements to the speeding mindset – an overestimation of one’s own sense of CONTROL; a primacy placed on individual CHOICE – which contribute to myopia about how personally relevant the issues are Other people don’t have a choice over whether you speed. You can’t control how you’ll feel and how others will see you if you do kill someone The Way Forward CHALLENGING APPRAISAL OF RISK AND PERSONAL RELEVANCE RISK PERSONAL RELEVANCE From narrow PROBABILISTIC definition From SPECIFIC OCCASIONS, PLACES, SITUATIONS, ETC. TO TO What you stand to lose: PROBABILITY magnified by CONSEQUENCES Rethinking RISK vs. REWARD More UNIVERSALLY RELEVANT MOTIVATIONS AND EMOTIONS With the right balance, far harder to default to a mindset of ‘well I always slow down near schools’, ‘well what are the odds?’ and ‘I don’t tend to drive those kinds of roads’, ‘I can’t afford not to speed’ 73 The Way Forward Example of a scenario challenging RISK/REWARD/CONSEQUENCES assumptions and PERSONAL relevance, specifically around DELIBERATE speeding: Hurrying to destination (slightly late, rushed, stressed, sole focus on getting there – but feeling it’s a manageable situation, on familiar roads) The unexpected happens, you kill someone (your fault, speeding but within ‘socially endorsed’ norms) You had a choice: could have gone a bit slower, and arrived a couple of minutes later (tiny consequence) You live with the unimaginable (massive) consequences: guilt, shame, sorrow, self-loathing - life never the same again 74 The Way Forward DEVELOPING RATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL MESSAGING WHICH IS MUTUALLY COMPLEMENTARY Emotional power to pierce outer rational defences Rings true, and is graphic and detailed (achieving universality via emotional realism rather than broad generality) About enduring emotion, as opposed to the spike of shock response Rational argument (fact) to prevent recourse to rational defence (to rebuff emotional power) Eg. 30/40; faster you drive, the bigger the impact; (fuel efficiency, but as a separate strand of communication) Also, a coherent intertwining of rational and emotional can help campaign address the range of driver mindsets (displaying varying susceptibility to messaging at the extremes of Emotional vs. Rational) 75 The Way Forward 76 The most powerful articulation of these thoughts is found in a fusion of the following Supported by With some potential role for 77 The End