The Effects of Prompts, Feedback and an Advertising Campaign on The use of Safety Belts by Automobile Drivers in Nova Scotia
Paul A. Nau
Ron Van Houten
DOI: 10.2190/U16H-QA65-E4PH-CV41
Abstract
An experiment was conducted to test the influence of a standard safety belt reminder sign and a sign reporting feedback about the percentage of drivers wearing safety belts during the preceding week on the use of safety belts by drivers in Nova Scotia. Following baseline periods of varying length, signs were erected on four different highways. Each type of sign was erected on two different types of highway: one type a four-lane highway leading out of the city and into high speed zones and the other type a two-lane highway leading through mixed residential and business areas. Only when a feedback sign was erected along a highway conducting traffic into high speed zones leading out of the city did the percentage of drivers wearing safety belts show a marginal increase. The feedback sign proved to be ineffective in increasing safety belt use when erected along a highway conducting urban traffic and the standard reminder sign proved to be ineffective in both cases. In addition, measures obtained during these conditions were compared with measures obtained one year later, following a year-long safety belt advertising campaign. Results indicated that the campaign was ineffective in increasing safety belt use.
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