U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers about existing engineering countermeasures designed to keep pedestrians safe. LISBOA, Inc. conducted four focus groups for the campaign to understand how pedestrians perceive themselves in relation to drivers, how drivers perceive pedestrians, how each group understands the laws regarding pedestrians, and what sorts of public education messages would capture their interest and attention. Two focus groups were held in Washington, D.C. on 11/28/01. The first group was composed of male and female pedestrians aged 21-65 years, and the second was with 18-25 year old male drivers. Two focus groups were also conducted in Los Angeles, CA on 12/4/01. The first group was male and female pedestrians aged 21-65 years. The second group, drivers consisted of male and female drivers aged 18-25 years.
LISBOA collaborated with the FHWA to develop both the respondent screeners and the moderator guides. Also, LISBOA worked with Olchak Market Research in Washington, D.C. and Adler Weiner in Los Angeles, CA to recruit and schedule the groups. Participants were paid an $80 stipend for attending the two-hour group. The groups were videotaped, and respondents were assured of confidentiality.
Dr. Megan Sheehan and Juanita Panlener of LISBOA, Inc., conducted the focus groups. Following each group, they reviewed the videotapes and discussed the group process. Dr. Sheehan and Ms. Panlener then developed structured topline summaries of key findings and observations. The raw data for these toplines included the words, phrases, sentences, and non-verbal responses of the attendees.
This Final Report is based on assimilating the key findings from the toplines. This report includes recommendations to the FHWA for campaign themes, material development, and dissemination.
All of the participants in the pedestrian focus groups walk in situations were they encounter moving vehicles. Most of the participants reported walking daily. All respondents indicated being concerned for their safety as pedestrians. They feared being hit and several reported close calls with cars. One respondent reported being hit by a car.
Several participants complained about the poor conditions of sidewalks or having no sidewalks in certain locations. Another concern was not having adequate time to cross the street before the walk sign changed.
In the Los Angeles group, when discussing pedestrians' right of way, all of the participants indicated that they understood that "the pedestrian has the right of way." However, in the D.C. group there was some confusion over exactly when and where pedestrians have the right of way. No one in the group had a clear understanding of the laws regarding pedestrians' right of way. Many participants were concerned about crossing at crosswalks and worried that "drivers don't necessarily see you" and may not be aware of pedestrians or looking for them.
The groups' reported use of retro-reflective wear at night varied. Some participants reported using the materials for themselves and their children, while others reported not using it at all. However, all of the participants agreed that it is effective. In Los Angeles, the participants agreed that it would be unrealistic to expect everyone to wear retro-reflective wear at night, especially if one were dressed up and going out for the evening.
Public Service Announcements were also discussed within the groups. Although the groups indicated that their behavior did not necessarily change as a result of watching PSAs , certain themes and presentation styles consistently capture their interest more than others. Among these are images with some shock value, non-conventional / "original" styles, and messages that include children. The Los Angeles group liked the "Truth" anti-smoking spots.
The groups evaluated several statistics. Both groups felt that the statement, "Every seven minutes a pedestrian is killed or injured in a traffic accident" was the most impactful. They thought that this brought the numbers ". . . down to a more manageable level."
Three potential campaign themes were evaluated in the D.C. pedestrian focus group. The first was, "Make sure drivers see you" - which received a weak response from the group. The next theme was "make it a joint responsibility." The participants reported that this made them think of drugs as well as passing the buck from drivers to pedestrians. "Be safe, be smart, be seen" was the most popular of the three slogans.
After the mixed response to the themes presented to the Washington, D.C. pedestrian focus group, additional themes were generated for the Los Angeles group to evaluate. "Be safe, be smart, be seen" received a nuetral response from the group. The second theme, "Make it a joint responsibility" reminded participants of drugs and safe sex. "Speed less, yield more" was the third theme that the group evaluated. There was mixed feedback on this. Some participants thought it was a good idea, while others thought that it was not "catchy" and that certain groups might not understand the word "yield." The fourth theme was "We're in this together." This one received a more positive response from the group. The next two themes "Make sure drivers see you" and "Be courteous, be safe / Be careful, be safe" were rejected by the group.
Driver themes were also tested with the pedestrian group in Los Angeles. The first one, "Stay alert: You never know who you might run into" received a positive response. The second theme, "They won't bounce back from this one" was also popular. The group rejected the next theme, "Why didn't the kid cross the street? To get to the other side safely." The fourth theme, which involved a Video game PSA concept, "There is no reset button in your car" was evaluated positively, but the group members felt that the visuals would be critical to the success of the ad. Lastly, the group rated "Think of the impact you could make" This theme was popular and pedestrians thought that there were some interesting potentials for visuals with this theme.
The themes that received the most positive responses from the focus group were "Speed Less, Yield More," "Stay alert: You never know who you might run into," "They won't bounce back from this one," and "Think of the impact you could make."
All of the participants in the driver focus groups reported that they like driving and that they drive in a variety of locations including highways/freeways, residential, suburban areas, side streets, and neighborhood streets. All said they encounter pedestrians throughout the day, at different times of the day. The drivers said they are concerned about pedestrians not paying attention to traffic and pedestrian road signs, taking too long to cross the street, crossing in the middle of the street (jaywalking), and children possibly running in front of them. Some drivers also expressed concern over "not being able to see pedestrians" at night or near bus stops. Some of the participants admitted to having a near-collision with a pedestrian.
In the Washington, D.C. focus group there seemed to be some confusion over state laws regarding pedestrians' right of way. A few participants in the Washington, D.C. group reported observing signs at intersections, which they found to be helpful, stating that pedestrians have the right of way. The participants in the Los Angeles, group indicated that "pedestrians always have the right of way." However, they felt that all drivers should be reminded of the laws regarding pedestrians when they get their license renewed.
The drivers all reported that their main mode of transportation is driving. All reported walking occasionally, but many indicated that they "do not feel safe when walking." Some drivers stated that they would walk more if they felt safer, while others said that additional safety features would not affect their walking behavior.
All of the drivers in both groups reported that the presence of law enforcement has a "strong affect" on their behavior. They said that they "slow down and drive more carefully" when there are police officers present.
Some respondents feel that drivers respect pedestrians, while others felt that drivers do not respect pedestrians. The drivers do not want to hurt pedestrians, but they do not want them in their way, either. One driver said, somewhat jokingly, "Most [drivers] would rather drive over [pedestrians] to get them out of the way."
Public Service Announcements, advertising, and campaign themes were discussed with the driver groups. The Los Angeles drivers' group felt the anti-smoking "Truth" campaign was effective. The anti-drug campaign's "This is your brain on drugs" PSA was also described as memorable, as was the McGruff "Take a bite against crime" campaign.
Television advertisements that got the drivers' attention include the Old Navy "Performance Fleece" ads, commercials for The Gap and "Britney Spears doing Pepsi."
The Washington, D.C. group reported finding children "very effective" as spokespeople. The males talked about how even if they did not have children, they have "nieces and nephews" and "friends or neighbors with kids." Some of the participants also said that they think about having children in the future and how this would affect their kids. Male drivers in Los Angeles agreed that messages with children are powerful and stated that they are more vigilant when driving in neighborhoods and school zones with children.
Some suggestions that they have for effective PSAs included surprises, someone getting hit by a car, and showing the effects of reckless behavior. They thought that using gory images was a good way to get messages to stand out. They also liked the idea of something that "looks like a normal commercial and then bam someone gets hit."
They find the use of "shocking messages," "fear," loss of money and possible jail time as strong motivators. If law enforcement is going to threaten ramifications for breaking laws, then they have to follow through with them to be effective. The idea that "this [negative consequence] can happen to you" hits home with this group.
Some aspects of radio spots that respondents said would get their attention include "silence on the radio," messages that are "short and to the point," the sound of "cars crashing," a voice that does not "sound like a radio DJ," "fake news reports," the sounds of "a car engine without talking," and "something different." They all agreed that silence would get their attention. They also found children's voices to be impactful. "Radio static" or "the sound of a radio changing stations" would also get their attention.
The groups indicated that they find the repetition of a message across media to be effective and like the idea of appealing to the "commonsense of drivers."
Several statistics were presented to the drivers. The first one "5,000 pedestrians are killed each year in traffic accidents" did not elicit the strongest responses from the groups. They did not think this was shocking enough. The next one, "100,000 pedestrians are injured each year in traffic accidents" did not elicit any comments from the participants in the Los Angeles group. Respondents in the Washington, D.C. group did not respond favorably to it either. Lastly, the groups were presented with "Every 7 minutes a pedestrian is killed or injured in a traffic accident." The last statement was the most effective of the three with both groups because the participants found it easier to understand the concept of 7 minutes as opposed to the concept of thousands or hundreds of thousands. They also reported that it gives them a different perspective on the issue.
The drivers in both groups liked "Stay Alert: You never know who you might run into." There were several suggestions for images to couple with the message, including children, parent and child, celebrities, or a series of celebrities. They liked using the driver's perspective of steering wheel and windshield. They also thought "shocking images," such as "body bags," or shoes lying on the road at a crash scene could be effective.
"They won't bounce back from this one" was not appealing to the Washington, D.C. group. They said that it reminded them of a "sports team." Some of the respondents in the L.A. group liked this concept, but most felt it could sound too sarcastic and "off the wall."
"Think of the impact you could make" was tested on the Los Angeles driver focus group. Overall, the respondents liked this slogan. They suggested that it be paired with images of a funeral or grieving family. They thought that it could be effective if it showed how emotionally distraught someone was after killing a pedestrian.
Overall, both driver groups preferred live action to animation for the PSAs.
Based on the findings of the focus group sessions with drivers and pedestrians, LISBOA recommends creating two messages with the same look and feel. One message should target pedestrians and the other should target drivers. There should be uniformity throughout the campaign materials.
After reviewing multiple campaign themes with the focus groups, the ones that emerged as the most popular, i.e. having the broadest appeal among the various groups were the following:
Drivers
Pedestrians
The focus groups felt that the following statistic would be the most effective in conveying the gravity of the pedestrian safety issue, while simultaneously conveying the idea that this could happen to them.
The messages should be coupled with images that have an emotional pull over the audience. The focus groups also recommended including elements of shock, surprise, and possibly gore. Propensity for this processing mode is well documented. Petty and Cacioppo's (1986) Elaboration Likelihood Model describes the peripheral and central routes to information processing focusing specifically on persuasion. The central route refers to cognitive, rational processes where messages are comprehended and accepted or rejected based on the strength or weakness of the arguments. The peripheral route, in contrast, includes all other processes and influences that are not rational and argument based (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986). The peripheral route would include emotional appeals.
The male drivers all reported finding children very effective as spokespersons. In general, they are concerned about kids and the image of a child has emotional appeal for them. There is strong research evidence to support an innate tendency for adults to find children appealing. According to Morris (1991), when adults look at infants and young children they feel protective toward them. Maternal and paternal feelings are genetically based and require no learning. These findings are concurrent with previous research conducted by LISBOA, which found that young males found children to be persuasive conveyors of social marketing messages.
Another important point to note with regard to the pedestrian groups is their concern about safety while walking. All of the pedestrian focus group participants shared experiences of being afraid while walking. When asked what would make them feel safer, they all indicated that engineering changes would make them feel more secure while walking. Some of the changes that they advocated were more visible crosswalks, flashing lights at crosswalks, longer walk times, raised crosswalks, clearer crossing signs (countdown instead of flashing "walk"), better sidewalks, barriers between pedestrians and cars, and if all traffic were stopped at intersections to allow pedestrians to cross safely.
Based on the both the driver and pedestrian groups' preference for live action over animation, LISBOA recommends using live action for the PSAs.
Message/Concept Evaluation
Recent studies have shown that pedestrians nationwide die or
are injured every day as a result of crashes with motor vehicles. As a result, the Federal Highway
Administration wants to develop an education and awareness program targeting
drivers and pedestrians. The goal of
the campaign is to educate pedestrians like yourselves, about existing
"engineering countermeasures" designed to protect pedestrians.
The first of two focus groups in Washington, D.C. was held with pedestrians. The purpose of this group was to understand how pedestrians perceive themselves in relation to drivers, their understanding of the law regarding pedestrians, and what sorts of public education messages would capture their interest and attention. The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers about existing engineering countermeasures designed to keep pedestrians safe. The group consisted of ten men and women aged 21-65 years who are pedestrians and had been exposed to traffic situations in the past week.
All of the participants report that they walk frequently. The types of walking that they engage in include: recreation, walking to and from work, to and from mass transit, and walking for errands- in shopping centers and to and from shopping centers. One participant also participates in a walking group during lunch breaks. Another participant does not own a car and walks or uses mass transit for all travel. The location of walking included sidewalks, paths, along roadways when sidewalks were not available, and on paved trails in parks.
Several participants complained about the poor conditions of sidewalks or complete lack thereof. They find these conditions to be dangerous and some participants will not walk at night because of fear for their safety. Participants were also complaining about the lack of adequate bus stops on certain roadways where buses stop in "the middle of the street." Some other concerns include construction zones where pedestrians have to walk in the street and speeding drivers who do not yield the right of way to pedestrians. They are also concerned about not having enough time to cross an intersection before the "don't walk" sign appears. One participant expressed a fear of bicyclists, people on rollerblades, broken sidewalks, and drivers. She stated, "you have to be observant."
Participants also felt that neighborhoods had not adequately planned for pedestrians. The crosswalks are "not good," they sometimes have to walk on "grass, dirt - try not to walk in the street." One participant reported using underground walkways to avoid having to cross "bad intersections" especially after dark.
All of the participants reported walking through intersections. They stated that not only are turning vehicles a concern, any kind of vehicle is a concern. Almost every participant reported having "narrow escapes" with automobiles. Some of the near misses occurred in intersections with turning vehicles, others occurred in parking lots. Several members of the group felt that drivers frequently misjudge the speed at which the pedestrian is traveling and the distance between the car and pedestrian. A lack of clear markings for crosswalks was another cause that the group cited for near misses. Another participant reported "sometimes cars speed up when you're in a crosswalk." All of the participants expressed the need for pedestrians to "be aware of the surroundings." After the near misses with vehicles, the participants reported that they felt "scared, shaken, and afraid to walk." They also reported feeling "thankful to be alive" and said that they would "try to be more careful." They said that they are surprised by courteous behavior from drivers.
When discussing pedestrians' right of way, there seems to be some confusion over when and where pedestrians have the right of way. No one in the group had a clear understanding of the laws regarding pedestrians' right of way. The group felt that most drivers do not respect the pedestrian's right of way. The group also felt that "most cars drive too fast and don't have time to react appropriately to pedestrians."
The group also acknowledged that some pedestrian behavior contributes to the problem. Crossing the street mid-block and jaywalking were examples of risky pedestrian behaviors. The group also felt that there may be cultural influences in accidents. The group admitted that they do not always walk out of their way to cross at a crosswalk. They said it was a "judgment call" and that it depends on traffic and the distance to the crosswalk.
All of the pedestrians reported feeling "concerned about being hit." They all said that they try to take measures to protect themselves. One participant reported that she knows three people in her neighborhood who have been hit by cars and she is "very cognizant of the problem."
The participants reported that a number of changes would make them feel safer, including: better sidewalks, barriers between pedestrians and the roadway, more visible crosswalks, all traffic stopped at intersections, more time to cross the street, a countdown for the number of seconds remaining on the walk signal, and signs by parking lots telling drivers to stop for pedestrians. One participant referred to turning cars as "right turn on dead" for pedestrians. Another participant noted that drivers' failure to stop for red lights is dangerous for pedestrians as well as cars. The group suggested using an ad campaign to remind drivers and pedestrians about pedestrian safety. The group liked that idea of all traffic stopping at intersections for pedestrians to cross. They felt that pedestrians are not thought of at intersections "it's all about cars - pedestrians are not considered when designing intersections." The group felt that some drivers think pedestrians are legitimate road users, while others do not. The group felt that pedestrians are legitimate road users.
Participants reported walking at various times during the day. Some walked at lunchtime, others walk at morning and evening rush hours, others walk on the weekends. All of the participants expressed concern over walking in the evening or before light in the morning. They worry about being "hard to see" when it is dark. Some of the participants reported wearing light/bright colored clothes or "carrying something bright" in order to help drivers see them.
All of the participants thought that retro-reflective material was a good idea. However, no one in the group reported using it. Likewise, they thought "flashers" were a good idea, but no one in the group used them. One participant expressed concern over the retro-reflective wear in that you might stand out too much if you used it. He was concerned that people would "target you because you look different."
No one in the group objected to the term "pedestrian." They thought that it was an inclusive term and would not be objectionable to persons in wheelchairs.
When discussing changes in pedestrian behavior, the group had several suggestions. They felt that better marked pedestrian crossing areas as well as law enforcement would change pedestrians' behaviors. They also felt it was necessary to make drivers more aware of pedestrians. They felt that issuing traffic tickets for jaywalking would have an impact on the problem.
The group thought the term "pedestrian counter measure" was unclear. "Counter measure" had negative connotations for them. They said it reminded them of "terrorist counter measures." They preferred the term "pedestrian safety enhancements" or "safety features."
Some of the participants' suggestions for a public service ad campaign included making the ads "dramatic" and "brief and to the point." The participants commented on seatbelt and windshield wiper campaigns that were appealing. They also suggested putting the television spots in prime time. Some other ad campaigns that they reported liking included the Calvin Klein perfume ads. They also find good graphics appealing. Some of the participants also felt that "gory images" might be effective. There was discussion of the "crash dummies" campaign spots, which are entertaining and effective.
Another participant described an ad campaign that used a cartoon serial in subways in NYC to discuss AIDS. The cartoon strips had recurring characters and were presented like in a soap opera format.
Other popular commercials included the Budweiser frogs, which participants reported "got their attention."
Humor is also appealing in commercials. Sprint phone's "flour the children" and "Captain and Tenille" ads were very popular with the group. In addition, participants found fear appeal ads to be effective. One participant described an ad for home security systems in which a burglar looks in a window and plans to break in until he sees the security company logo.
In sum, the participants found the following qualities to be effective in ads.
Some avenues for delivering a pedestrian safety message included postcards with "bullet points and not a lot of text," "cereal boxes," "metro signs," "billboards," and "bus stops." They said that bill inserts would not be effective because "there's already too much junk mail."
The participants were presented with several statistics and asked to respond. They thought that the statistic "5,000 people are killed each year in pedestrian crashes" was "not clear." They also thought that this number was low and reported being confused by what a "pedestrian crash" meant.
Next, "Over 100,000 people are injured" was found to be "more impactful."
Lastly, when presented with the statistics "Every 7 minutes a pedestrian is killed or injured in a traffic accident". The group thought that this was the most effective statistic but suggested that it would be even "more forceful" if re-phrased to "A pedestrian is hit every 7 minutes."
The group thought that gory images "leave an impression" and think that younger people are more used to disturbing images and violence. They also thought that the driver who injured/killed a pedestrian could be an effective spokesperson.
"Make sure drivers see you" - received a weak response from the group. Next "make it a joint responsibility" made the participants think of drugs as well as passing the buck from drivers to pedestrians. "Be safe, be smart, be seen" was the most popular of the three slogans.
The first of two focus groups in Los Angeles, CA was held with pedestrians. The purpose of this group was to understand how pedestrians perceive themselves in relation to drivers, their understanding of the law regarding pedestrians, and what sorts of public education messages would capture their interest and attention. The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers about existing engineering countermeasures designed to keep pedestrians safe. The group consisted of 4 men and 6 women aged 21-65 years who are pedestrians and had been exposed to traffic situations in the past week.
The participants in this group walk on sidewalks, alleys, shopping center parking lots, and residential areas by the beach. Many admitted to walking "on the street" because they "have no choice but walk on the side of the street." One of the respondents explained that he walks on the street because where he lives there are "areas where there is nothing but grass and street."
All respondents in the group encounter situations where they have to cross an intersection, and they all stated that they look for turning vehicles when crossing an intersection. They added that it is common for Angelinos to "drive right up to [their destination] vs. walk there." One of the respondents, originally from New York City, explained that the difference between driving in Los Angeles and New York is that he doesn't feel he has to park right in front of where he's going. He added, "I can walk three blocks."
The participants walk daily, often in circumstances where they encounter traffic. One of them, a salesperson, walks constantly "as a function of [his] job." He explained, "It's not functional to drive and park all the time. It's more efficient and less stressful to just hike." Other respondents added:
All respondents indicated being concerned for their safety as pedestrians. They explained that "in this town there is a lot of stress and people [drivers] are in a hurry. When it is their turn to go, they are not looking for pedestrians." A driver who was distracted on her cell phone hit one of the respondents. He added, "It was not hard...she was so upset." Some of their comments, listed below, indicate how uneasy they feel as pedestrians:
Next, the respondents were asked what could make them feel safer as pedestrians. They said that more crosswalks would alleviate their concerns. Many commented on crosswalks located in the middle of the street that have flashing lights. One of them explained that when a pedestrian presses the button on the light post, the flashing lights turn red and "drivers have to stop." Another respondent suggested increasing the presence of police, adding that it would encourage drivers to slow down and discourage pedestrians from jaywalking.
Some in the group said additional pedestrian safety countermeasures would help them feel safer. However, the overall feeling among the participants was that they would not feel measurably safer, or that they would walk more, if additional pedestrian safety countermeasures were put into place.
Although the participants feel "100 percent responsible" for their safety, they agreed that no matter how careful they are, there is no guarantee that driver's are looking out for them,
The participants in this group describe themselves as pedestrians and drivers. One of them said, "There are times that I walk more, and other times I drive more." Most respondents walk during the day. A few of them felt they walk more at night. While they agreed that the term pedestrian sounds like something they would find in "a driver's test," they felt it is the term that best describes them.
All respondents knew that "the pedestrian has the right of way." One of the respondents received a ticket for beginning to cross the street during a flashing "Don't Walk" sign. Before receiving the ticket, this respondent was under the impression that it was acceptable to begin crossing during the flashing "Don't Walk" sign. One of the participants felt that the pedestrian traffic lights should last longer, adding, "You have six lanes of traffic and 10 seconds to cross. Some people are older and walk slowly."
Some of the respondents admitted to not always abiding by the pedestrian traffic lights. One of them said, "When I walk late at night, and the sign says, 'Don't Walk,' I will cross if no one is coming."
A few of the respondents said they try to wear materials that make them or their children visible if they walk at night. One of them said, "I have a jacket with a [retro reflective] strip that I wear when I think about it." Another said, "When I walk with my kids, I try. Their shoes have retro reflective stuff. That really works." Other statements included:
The pedestrians in this focus group had mixed reactions regarding feeling safe when crossing the street at a crosswalk. One of them said he would feel safe it "the cars are stopped and I have the 'Walk' sign." Another said, "Drivers don't necessarily see you." The participants were asked if drivers behave differently depending on the section of town they are in. All agreed that drivers in the beach and resort areas are "much more relaxed."
The respondents consider themselves legitimate road users. However, they commented, "When you are the driver, pedestrians are in the way..., pedestrians walk very slowly."
Some of the public service announcements that have captured the respondent's attention are the series of "Truth" (anti-smoking) spots, the anti-drug spots ("This is your brain on drugs") and "The more you know" spots featuring various public education themes. The characteristics that make these memorable is that they "are not conventional," and sometimes even "shocking." Another respondent said, "You remember the shock value. The red asphalt on the road......that's what a dead body looks like."
One of the participants wrote the concept of the "Crying Indian" PSA - a pollution-prevention message. Most respondents in the group were familiar with this spot and agreed that it was effective because it showed the Indian's emotional response to people destroying his land. Another respondent felt that the Drunk Driving "home movie" PSAs are effective because it brings the message down to a personal level.
Although they said that their behavior did not change as a result of watching these powerful messages, certain themes and presentation styles consistently capture their interest more than others. Among these are images with some shock value, non-conventional / "original" styles, and messages that include children.
The moderator read three statements, and requested the respondent's reactions to them. The first two statements did not get their attention because the participants could not relate to them. They suggested adding a personal element to the statistic to make it more powerful. Their reaction to the third statement was noticeably more positive.
The respondents seldom pay attention to bill inserts, but they "can't help but look at" billboards.
The participants were shown a series of PSAs ("You wouldn't walk this way... Why would you drive this way?") featuring people walking, swimming, biking, and shopping aggressively - essentially imitating dangerous driver behaviors. They were amused by the ads and agreed that they would be likely to remember them. The respondents offered a few suggestions. One of them was to adapt this concept to pedestrians, featuring "pedestrians doing stupid things, like not waiting on the curb." Another suggestions was "show a guy walking between bumper cars, and say 'why would you do that?' " Additional suggestions and comments included:
One of the respondents said that she doubts people will follow pedestrian laws unless they are enforced, and they are told about the laws and the consequences of breaking them."
The participants also listened to two radio PSAs encouraging seat belt use. The first features a girl telling her date that she wants him to "put it on," and the second has a narrator telling his audience to "imagine" horrible scenarios that would be similar to going through the windshield during a crash.
The respondents liked both, but felt that the second, more graphic one was more effective. One of them said, "the [first] one was too cute." Another added, "it doesn't scare you, but it stimulates a lot in the imagination."
One of the participants had another idea for a PSA. It would feature a clip from the movie, "Midnight Cowboy," where Dustin Hoffman yells out while in the middle of the street, "Hey! I'm walking here!"
Finally, the respondents were asked to pick their favorite among statements that could become possible slogans. Their comments are listed under each statement.
Their favorites were #3, #7, #8, and #11. They felt these messages could be adapted and used with powerful and memorable visuals.
Before ending the group, the observers wanted to know what
advertisements have been successful in getting them to purchase the product
they were selling. A couple of the
participants said infomercials are "enticing," and "draw you,"
making them effective. One of these
infomercials is the one for Oxyclean.
Discussion - Awareness of Pedestrians
Knowledge of Pedestrian Countermeasures/Law
Federal Highway Administration
Pedestrian Safety
Countermeasures Education
LISBOA, Inc. Focus Group Topline Summary
Drivers - Washington, DC
11/28/01
The second of two focus groups in Washington, DC was held with drivers. The purpose of this group was to understand how drivers perceive pedestrians they encounter in traffic situations, their understanding of the law regarding pedestrians, and what sorts of public education messages would capture their interest and attention. The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers about existing engineering countermeasures designed to keep pedestrians safe. The group consisted of eleven 18-25 year old males who drive at least 10 miles per week.
All of the participants reported that they like driving and that they drive in a variety of locations including highways, residential, and suburban areas. Most of the group encounter pedestrians everyday while driving on college campuses, near bus stops, and in neighborhoods.
The drivers' concerns about pedestrians involve "hoping that they don't do anything stupid" such as jaywalking, or jumping in front of a moving car. The drivers also expressed concern over "not being able to see pedestrians" at night or near bus stops. The drivers said that they "try to stay alert" when they are near pedestrians.
In areas where there are numerous pedestrians (the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. and on college campuses were two examples that they gave) the drivers said that they are more cautious. They said that they "expect to see pedestrians in these locations" and behave accordingly. On the other hand, in locations where there are not as many pedestrians the drivers see pedestrians as having a "secondary status to cars." They reported feeling that "cars have a priority over pedestrians."
Several of the drivers reported having near collisions with pedestrians. The locations for the near misses included parking lots, near the mall in D.C., and at intersections. Some occurred at night with jaywalkers. The drivers also reported experiencing power struggles between drivers and pedestrians. The group also indicated that sometimes drivers "feel annoyed by pedestrians." They also feel that drivers react differently in urban versus suburban areas. Difficulties arise when "drivers don't know who has the right of way."
There seems to be some confusion over state laws regarding pedestrians' right of way. A few participants reported observing signs at intersections stating that pedestrians have the right of way. They reported these signs to be "helpful."
The drivers felt that sometimes the pedestrians have a legitimate right to the road. However, they also expressed concern over "some pedestrian behaviors including children playing in the street. . . pedestrians crossing the street when the 'don't walk' sign was flashing. . . jaywalking. . . pedestrians running across busy intersections. . . and not walking fast enough to cross the street in the allotted time."
All of the drivers reported driving during morning and evening rush hours. They walk for recreation or exercise, but their main mode of transportation is driving. They did report walking on campus and to get to/from public transportation. They reported that they "do not feel safe when walking" and said that they "might walk more if it were safer."
The group reported that the presence of law enforcement has a "strong affect" on their behavior. They said that they "slow down and drive more carefully" when there are police officers present. Several group members said that they have "an automatic reaction to follow the laws when they see a cop car." They said that the presence of police officers would make them more respectful of pedestrians, however, they are usually "more concerned about the speed limit and stopping for red lights than pedestrians" when they see a police officer.
The group said that sometimes drivers respect pedestrians and sometimes not. Respect depends on the location of the pedestrians and the number of pedestrians. The more pedestrians there are the more respect they get. They feel that pedestrians also get more respect at cross walks than when crossing mid-block.
Some of the group's suggestions for reducing the pedestrian safety problem included posting signs in the middle of the street about pedestrian laws, reducing jaywalking, and making crosswalks more visible. A participant also said that "speedbumps would get me to slow down at crosswalks," not necessarily out of concern for pedestrians, but to protect his car. The speedbumps would also call his attention to pedestrians. Another suggestion was using "cameras at crosswalks" to make drivers more cautious, but these "need to have [law] enforcement" to be effective.
The group stated that reflective material on clothing/shoes "works." Several group members said that "white clothes [are] not as good" as reflective wear.
The group reported finding children "very effective." The males talked about how even if they did not have children, they have "nieces and nephews" and "friends or neighbors with kids." Some of the participants also said that they think about having children in the future and how this would affect their kids.
Some suggestions that they have for effective PSAs included surprises, someone getting hit by a car, and showing the effects of reckless behavior. They thought that using gory images was a good way to get messages to stand out. They also liked the idea of something that "looks like a normal commercial and then bam someone gets hit."
They find the use of "shocking messages," "fear," loss of money and possible jail time as strong motivators. If law enforcement is going to threaten ramifications for breaking laws, then they have to follow through with them to be effective. The idea that "this [negative consequences] can happen to you" hits home with this group.
Some aspects of ads that get the audience's attention include "silence on the radio," messages that are "short and to the point," the sound of "cars crashing," a voice that does not "sound like a radio DJ," "fake news reports," the sounds of "a car engine without talking," and "something different." They all agreed that silence would get their attention. They also found children's voices to be impactful. "Radio static" or "the sound of a radio changing stations" would also get their attention.
They find the repetition of a message across media to be effective and like appealing to the "commonsense of drivers." Some celebrities that they mentioned as spokespersons included Michael Jordan, George Bush, and James Earl Jones.
Catchy slogans are essential. The group thought mail fliers might be effective. They also suggested TV PSAs, pace cars, and CDs. Gas stations are another venue the group identified. Billboards were also "worth a try" in their opinion.
They felt that celebrities might "not be shocking enough," however, "someone with personal experience is very persuasive." For someone with personal experience, they suggested drivers who had hit someone or pedestrians who were hit by a car. They also discussed bumper stickers.
Instead of using typical statistics, they suggested using the "A pedestrian is killed or injured every 7 minutes in a traffic accident." And then following that up 7 minutes later with "another one just died." They thought that approach would be more thought provoking than just the statistic.
The drivers liked "Stay Alert: You never know who you might run into." For images to couple with the message, they suggested using "a child in a crosswalk," "a parent and child," or a child chasing a ball across the street. They liked using the driver's perspective of steering wheel and windshield. They also thought "shocking images," such as "body bags," could be effective. "They won't bounce back from this one." Was not as appealing to the group. They said that it reminded them of a "sports team."
Overall the group preferred live action to animation. They said that the message should be "witty and unexpected." "Irony is good." Humor appeals to them. "Shocking and surprising messages" are also effective. A "car careening around a corner and screeching to a halt" would get their attention. Followed by a "'thank you' from the person who didn't get hit."
Federal Highway Administration
Pedestrian Safety
Countermeasures Education
LISBOA, Inc. Focus Group Topline Summary
18 - 25 Year Old
Drivers - Los Angeles, CA
12/4/01
The second of two focus groups in Los Angeles, CA was held with 18 -25 year old male and female drivers. There were 3 women and 6 men. The purpose of this group was to understand how drivers perceive pedestrians they encounter in traffic situations, their understanding of the law regarding pedestrians, and what sorts of public education messages would capture their interest and attention. The ultimate goal of this campaign, sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (U.S. Department of Transportation), is to develop a public education campaign that will educate both pedestrians and drivers about existing engineering countermeasures designed to keep pedestrians safe.
The drivers in this group use side streets, neighborhood streets, and the freeway. Most seemed to prefer using side streets and taking shortcuts, more than taking the freeways, whenever possible. All said they encounter pedestrians throughout the day, at different times of the day. Typically, this group of respondents said they are concerned about pedestrians not paying attention to traffic and pedestrian road signs, taking too long to cross the street, crossing in the middle of the street, and children possibly running in front of them. Many agreed that pedestrians don't notice when drivers have a left turn light and start crossing the street without noticing that drivers are waiting for them to finish crossing and, in turn, miss their light and block traffic.
Another major concern was not noticing pedestrians at night. They felt there should be more lights at night. One of them said that since crosswalks are not lit, "it would be easy to hit someone if you weren't paying attention." A respondent brought up the flashing lights on some crosswalks, and they "are good for the pedestrians."
Some of the participants admitted to having a near-collision with a pedestrian. One of the respondents again brought up making a left turn as a dangerous situation. He said, "You're paying attention to oncoming traffic and looking at the light. You're not looking for pedestrians." After the near-misses, some of the participants admitted to feeling "scared."
Nevertheless, the respondents did not seem very concerned about hitting a pedestrian. Some of their comments included:
The respondents said they drive at all times of day. Some drive more during the morning and evening rush hours. Depending on their occupation, others drive in the middle of the day. On weekends, they drive at any point of the day.
On the other hand, they said that they walk rarely. One of them explained, "LA is too spread out." But one of the participants said she walks "all the time....in my area everything is close by." On the occasions they walk, they admitted to not feeling very safe as pedestrians. A respondent explained, "[Drivers] are talking on cell phones, they're speeding, they're not paying attention." Another said he feels self-conscious and added, "I feel like I'm the only person crossing the street." Others said:
When the respondents see police nearby, they slow down. If they pedestrians in a corner, they "pay attention." One of them said he slows down near schools. Another said that when he sees a large crowd of people waiting to cross, he wants to hurry past them because he doesn't want to wait for them to finish crossing the street.
The respondents don't feel that drivers respect pedestrians. They don't want to hurt them, but they don't want them in their way, either. One of them said that drivers don't pay attention to pedestrians as much as they should. Another, somewhat jokingly, said "Most would rather drive them over to get them out of the way."
The drivers said that more crosswalks with flashing lights would get their attention, as would crossing-guards. Brake lights and "children at play" signs got the attention of the younger guys in the group. One of them added, "I don't want to hit a kid." The other occasions when younger male drivers in the group notice pedestrians are when the pedestrian is "a good looking girl."
The respondents admitted to "zoning out" often. One said she's arrived at her home without knowing how she got there. Other times the drivers have zoned out were when they were "stuck in traffic," and on weekends on Sunset Boulevard when, "everyone is looking at everyone, at the girls, you're not paying attention." One of the participants explained, "Driving is so secondary. It's easy to zone off."
The respondents did not recall there being a pedestrian safety education section during their driver's test. One of them remembers that when a school bus stops and lowers its "Stop" arm and turns on its flashers, all traffic is supposed to stop. Another respondent repeated that the law is that pedestrians have the right of way. They felt that all drivers should be reminded of the laws regarding pedestrians whenever they get their license renewed.
The drivers knew that a flashing "Walk" sign means that "there are people crossing," and that a flashing "Don't Walk" sign means that pedestrians must not begin crossing the street. One of the respondents added, regarding the flashing "Don't Walk" sign, "If you're in the middle [of the street], hurry up." Other laws the respondents were aware of were that drivers "have to wait until the pedestrians have crossed [the street] the whole way," and "When there's a pedestrian at a crosswalk, you're supposed to stop."
The drivers in the focus group said they slow down when they see pedestrian near the road. One of them added that he's noticed that some drivers don't slow down, but stressed that when he sees children nearby, he "slows down even more."
"Out of sight, out of mind," is how one of the drivers responded when asked if he looks, or remembers to look, for pedestrians when he's turning left or right. Another said that she does not look out for them "unless they are there." One of them added, "It's like I have blinders on. I'm just looking ahead." It is hard for the respondents to see pedestrians at night, and in the day when there is heavy traffic and pedestrians may be "behind cars."
The drivers all agreed that pedestrians are "legitimate road users," but their comments hinted a different attitude. Some of their replies included:
The respondents were asked to list memorable public service campaigns. They feel the anti-smoking "Truth" campaign is effective. One of the younger male participants described another PSA that grabbed his attention. It shows a cop standing in front of train tracks at a train crossing saying, "Pay the fine, or pay with your life." The respondent said the spot "opens his eyes" because he lives near train tracks. One of the women in the group mentioned a billboard on Sunset Boulevard picturing a woman in a car looking for something in the back seat while a pedestrian is crossing in front of her. The anti-drug campaign's "This is your brain on drugs" PSA is also memorable, as is the McGruff "Take a bite against crime" campaign.
Television advertisements that get this group of respondent's attention include the Old Navy "Performance Fleece" ads, particularly "the colors, the catchy tune, and the old lady with the glasses." Commercials for The Gap and "Brittany Spears doing Pepsi" are also attention-getters for this group of drivers.
The participants were asked to respond to the following facts:
The participants were shown a series of television PSAs ("You wouldn't walk this way...Why would you drive this way?") featuring people walking, swimming, biking, and shopping aggressively - essentially imitating dangerous driver behaviors. They were amused by the spots, but commented that sometimes they don't readily remember funny spots. One of the respondents said, "It's so hard to think of something that will get you to change [your behavior]." Again, the spots triggered the participant's creative thinking and they made a few suggestions. They felt current "hot" celebrities such as Matt Damon and Britney Spears would be effective. They also thought that personalizing the setting of the PSAs and adding local scenes would make theme even more interesting to watch. One way to personalize the spot would be to "show a guy looking through his CD's and then hitting someone. We've all looked for something in the car." Another way they suggested was to develop a PSA that show the scene from the pedestrian's perspective, "the image of being hit by a car." One of them felt using the crash test dummies would get their attention because "they're silly, but you know they have a serious message."
The participants also listened to two radio PSAs encouraging seat belt use. The first features a girl telling her date that she wants him to "put it on," and the second has a narrator telling his audience to "imagine" horrible scenarios that would be similar to going through the windshield during a crash.
Based on their reactions and comments, the respondents liked these spots. Though they felt the first was "good" and "unexpected," the second one encouraged them to mentally visualize the reality of going through a windshield. They thought the message, "Imagine being hit by a bus" used in the same style as the radio PSAs would be effective.
The participants were asked to pick their favorite possible slogans. Their comments are listed under each statement.
The respondents liked this slogan.
Finally, the observers wanted to know under what circumstances the participants felt they should look out for pedestrians most. Most said in crosswalks and at night, followed by near schools, while turning left or right, and near parks and residential areas.
PEDESTRIAN GROUP
Note to Recruiter: Recruit twelve for a show of 8-10 participants for each group.
I am calling for LISBOA, Inc., a Washington D.C. communications firm that is developing a new campaign to improve pedestrian safety. We are recruiting participants for focus groups that will meet at _____ to discuss your thoughts and feelings about pedestrian safety and review some messages about pedestrians. This group, which is scheduled for December 4, 2001 at 6pm, will last for approximately 2 hours. Each participant will receive $80.00 for his/her time. Would you be interested in participating? (if yes; continue - if no; thank and terminate). I need to ask you some questions to determine if you qualify to participate in the group.
DRIVER GROUP
Note to Recruiter: Recruit twelve for a show of 8-10 participants for each group.
I am calling for LISBOA, Inc., a Washington D.C. communications firm that is developing a new campaign to improve traffic safety. We are recruiting participants for focus groups that will meet at ____ to discuss your thoughts and feelings about traffic safety and review some messages about driving. This group, which is scheduled on December 4, 2001 at 8pm, will last for approximately 2 hours. Each participant will receive $80.00 for his/her time. Would you be interested in participating? (if yes; continue - if no; thank and terminate). I need to ask you some questions to determine if you qualify to participate in the group.
Pedestrian Groups
Washington, D.C.
All of the pedestrian focus group participants had been exposed to traffic situations in the past week and all were employed outside of the home.
Los Angeles, CA
Driver Groups
Washington, D.C.
All of the eleven participants were male 18-25 years of age, and used driving as their primary means of transportation.
Los Angeles, CA
All of the participants were 18-25 years of age, used driving as their primary means of transportation and drive at least 4 days per week.
