Scaring teens with the potential negative consequences of using their cell phones while driving doesn’t work, says a recent study. It reveals what does seem to work, why and provides tips in effectively guiding teens into making wiser driving decisions – ultimately contributing to safer roads.

As we learned last time on Legal Action, most Canadians believe that texting and driving pose the greatest risk to our road safety today. A proactive solution to this issue is gleaned from recent research about teen beliefs and their cell phone use, published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Accident Analysis and Prevention.

From the Globe and Mail:

“It found the best way to convince teen drivers to stay off the phone while at the wheel is to emphasize the positive effects of that decision rather than highlight the negative outcome of cell phone use while driving.

The results come from the National Young Drivers Survey of more than 5,500 teenagers, part of the Young Driver Research Initiative created by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance. YDRI was established to use scientific research to understand and predict teen driver crashes in hopes of helping prevent them.”

(Find out more about this teen driving program, including the information and tools generated by it, on www.teendriversource.org.)

Survey result synopsis:

1. Teens who don’t use cell phones while driving mentioned positive motivators for abstaining.
2. Teens who frequently use their cell phones while driving cited the negative drawbacks for abstaining.
3. Safety rather than social reasons had a more powerful effect on their behaviour.

Benefits teens shared:

• Being able to pay more attention to their driving
• Less likely to have a crash
• Obeying the law

Drawbacks teens acknowledged:

• Getting lost or forgetting something
• Unable to let people know where they are or when they’ll arrive
• Parents are unable to reach them

Reviewing these valid concerns, here is practical advice for guardians and teachers in how to effectively communicate with teens about this issue:

• Acknowledge the desire to have a cell phone in the car for emergency purposes.
• Convey a clear message that the phone should never be used while driving.
• Empower teens to do the right thing by giving them viable alternatives to talking or texting while driving.
• Teens don’t respond well to messages and restrictions that appear punitive or controlling or that single teens out as a group.

Here are some safe cell phone practices to share with teens (and adults):

• Complete any call or text before starting the car.
• Know directions before starting the car rather than relying on a cell phone call or GPS.
• Check in with friends or parents only after you arrive.
• Pull over to a safe place for urgent calls or have a responsible passenger use the phone.

Please share this article with all those you think would benefit from reading it. We can all do our part to reduce risk and make our roads safer.

Do you think using this positive approach may work better with changing teen behaviour than scare tactics?