Distracted Driving

Educate the public with age-specific messages (pre-teen to adult) about the dangers of distracted driving through the media, schools, car dealers, community events, and employers, and test the effectiveness of using personal stories/tragedies to impact teens and middle school students’ behaviors.

1. Develop age-specific messages crafted into public service announcements (PSAs) for targeted media (i.e., PSAs for pre-teen/teen radio stations and media geared to that age group; PSAs for older adults to appropriate media).
   (Participating organizations: TxDOT, Distracted Driving Area Emphasis Team, and marketing firm)
2. Identify appropriate media targeted to each age group.
   (Participating organizations: TxDOT and marketing firm)
3. Develop and print materials and information that can be used as resource material or handouts at various events, meetings, businesses, etc.
   (Participating organizations: TxDOT and marketing firm)
4. Establish a clearinghouse to provide information to interested parties; identify additional champions to market and promote messages and materials to individuals and companies, automobile associations/manufacturers/car dealers, and other organizations for community events; and provide educational materials, messages, and handouts to Texas regional education centers for distribution to schools in each region.
   (Participating organizations: TxDOT and marketing firm)

See above for each step, in addition to probation officers, courts, media, parents, and school systems.

• Limited funding.
• Cohesive organized effort.
• Legislative roadblocks.
• Public pushback.
• State agencies.
• Buy-in from different age groups.
• Cultural issues.