Online newsletter Volume 2, Number 2,  Summer 2004

Changing Rural Drivers' Minds and Actions

Using the Full Spectrum of Community-Based Tools

The fact that the majority of people involved in fatal crashes on rural roads are usually members of the local community and often display behaviors, including drinking and driving, low seat belt use and speeding (the latter two of which combine to result in high rates of vehicle rollovers and ejections in rural crashes) suggests that there could be some usefulness in crafting programs that enlist community members, leaders and institutions to communicate the importance of changing these behaviors.

At the same time, it is important to note that education and "message" campaigns on their own have been shown to have little long-term effect, but if they are combined with a wider spectrum of prevention efforts, including stepped-up law enforcement, reducing access to liquor by closing outlets or restricting their operation, and a well-thought-out "saturation" media campaign, there can be some reduction in traffic fatalities.

Finally, for the success to be sustained requires long-term commitments to all the elements of a prevention campaign and the participation of a wide assortment of community leaders and members of respected institutions such as teachers, religious leaders and medical practitioners.

While there are no solo quick-fix solutions, a number of tools have been developed and, in some cases, evaluated, that can be part of a larger effort.

Below is a list of a few notable ones directly related to rural traffic safety issues. It is by no means complete and does not include more generic traffic safety programs, which can be found in the resources links on the main TSC Web site.

Buckle Up or Eat Glass

This program focuses on educating children about the need to wear seat belts in pickup trucks. It operates in a number of states in largely rural jurisdictions, often enlisting help from youth farm groups such as Future Farmers of America and state agricultural extension agents. In Iowa, it falls under the auspices of the private non-profit Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, with funding from the state.

Key elements include before and after seat belt checks as well as the following:

• organized and implemented by youth groups (with adult supervision) in rural communities;

• educational programs for youth in grades 7-10 focusing on rural roadway safety;

• a seat belt checkup at a selected site to check how many youth ages 20 and under are wearing seat belts in pickups;

• radio public service announcements (PSA's), news releases and posters provided to enhance rural roadway safety awareness by youth and entire rural communities.

Family Passenger Safety and Rural Safe Communities (Texas)

This program was initiated to address the low rate of seat belt use among vehicle occupants in rural areas of Texas, which accounted for more than half of the state's vehicle fatalities.

Started in 1997, it enlisted agents from the state agricultural extension offices to implement programs based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Safe Communities model. Prior to initiation, observational surveys in 1996 reflected a seat belt use rate of 46 percent in the participating counties. In 1998, seat belt use increased to an average of 59 percent with individual rates ranging from 35 to 79 percent.

Key elements include:

• coordinating a traffic safety coalition to include extension agents, health and medical personnel, law enforcement and other partners to form injury prevention partnerships in each of the 12 counties;

• organizing a minimum of one youth group in each of the 12 communities who will conduct educational activities to address identified traffic safety problems;

• conducting seat belt use surveys in participating communities to evaluate occupant protection interventions;

• providing traffic safety educational materials, resources and technical assistance to all 254 counties in Texas through the county extension agents.

Partners for Rural Traffic Safety Action Kit

A joint effort between the National Rural Health Association and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this kit is a step-by-step “how to” guide for organizing and conducting a high profile 30-day community campaign to increase seat belt use and support for the enforcement of seat belt, child passenger safety, and other traffic safety laws. The goal of the kit is to give rural health professionals and concerned community leaders the tools to conduct a successful traffic safety project.

Included in the kit are:

• training curriculum that uses community development models to create a community-wide project;

• strategies for planning and conducting a campaign, field tested in 15 rural communities, that resulted in substantial increases in seat belt use;

• lists of resources and related materials helpful for carrying out the campaign.

ITS Solutions for Rural Areas

A promising advance in rural-road safety is the development of intelligent transportation systems, or ITS. ITS can include the implementation of advanced sensor, computer and electronic and communications technologies. Among the most popular ITS solutions for rural areas are speed control technologies such as advisory warning systems. However, as ITS is still relatively new, effective and affordable ways of deploying these technologies in rural areas are still being explored.