U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
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Street Smart is a pedestrian and bicycle safety and public awareness program in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The goal is to educate the public on pedestrian and bicycle safety issues and laws. Street Smart started in 2002, and the most recent implementation took place in April 2004.
In what pedestrian and bicycle safety-related areas is communication with Hispanic audiences most needed?
The 2004 campaign was evaluated in terms of
The survey was administered in English only, so many Hispanics did not have an opportunity to provide input.
What types of messages are most likely to have the most impact? What tone should the messages have? Should humor be used, or would messages with "shock value" have more impact?
Campaign materials urged drivers to "Imagine the Impact" of a crash on the lives and families of pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. This suggests that "shock value" is appropriate in pedestrian- and bicyclist-oriented messages.
What are the best "media" for getting the messages across? Might the messages be communicated by posters at bus shelters or as "safety tips" on transit timetables, where the messages would actually be in context? Should the messages ultimately be delivered in newspaper or magazine ads, and if so, what newspapers and magazines are most often read by Hispanics? Would television ads be effective, and if so, on which channels should they be broadcast?
Street Smart utilized multiple resources and media: TV and radio spots, print ads, outdoor media including transit shelters and bus backs, posters, handouts, and more. Enforcement activities (pedestrian stings) were also conducted. Spanish media included Telemundo (TV), El Tiempo Latino (newspaper) and some transit shelter signs. There were no magazine ads.
Which age groups of Hispanics should be targeted and why?
Males ages 18 to 34 (of all ethnic and racial groups) were targeted because they are the primary offenders in pedestrian safety issues.
Should materials be presented just in Spanish, or in English and Portuguese as well?
Street Smart conveyed information in both English and Spanish. It did not include Portuguese.
Which Hispanic groups should be targeted and why?
This campaign did not target specific Hispanic groups such as migrant workers or recent immigrants. Drivers (of all ethnic and racial groups) were the primary target.
Should different cultural groups be targeted and why?
This campaign did not target different cultural groups.
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