Do road safety campaigns work?

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Ranjit Gadgil

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Jul 24, 2014, 3:19:50 AM7/24/14
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I remember a conversation about this a while ago. Came across this paper, which has some interesting observations.

Of course in India we do not seem to care about the effectiveness of any public campaign, so there is hardly ever thought behind the campaign or post-campaign evaluation. :-(


Meta-analysis of the effect of road safety campaigns on accidents

abstract

A meta-analysis of 67 studies evaluating the effect of road safety campaigns on accidents is reported.

A total of 119 results were extracted from the studies, which were reported in 12 different countries between 1975 and 2007. After allowing for publication bias and heterogeneity of effects, the weighted average effect of road safety campaigns is a 9% reduction in accidents (with 95% confidence that the weighted average is between −12 and −6%). To account for the variability of effects measured across studies, data were collected to characterise aspects of the campaign and evaluation design associated with each effect, and analysed to identify a model of seven campaign factors for testing by meta-regression.

The model was tested using both fixed and random effect meta-regression, and dependency among effects was accounted for by aggregation. These analyses suggest positive associations between accident reduction and the use of personal communication or roadside media as part of a campaign delivery strategy. Campaigns with a drink-driving theme were also associated with greater accident reductions, while some of the analyses suggested that accompanying enforcement and short campaign duration (less than one month) are beneficial. Overall the results are consistent with the idea that campaigns can be more effective in the short term if the message is delivered with personal communication in a way that is proximal in space and time to the behaviour targeted by the campaign.


-- Ranjit

Ranjit Gadgil

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Jul 24, 2014, 3:43:04 AM7/24/14
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From a 2004 paper by Dr. Dinesh Mohan of IIT Delhi, TRIPP

Role of education, information and publicity

Road safety policies in India have focused on education and behaviour change of road users 
as a mainstay of our efforts. This has not given us the reductions in injuries and fatalities that we 
expected and the trends indicate that the increase in death rates is likely to continue. To reverse this 
trend, it is necessary that we take note of the conclusions regarding the role of education, information 
and publicity as included in the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention

“Education can help to bring about a climate of concern and develop sympathetic 
attitudes towards effective interventions. Consultation with road users and residents is 
essential in designing urban safety management schemes…when used in support of 
legislation and law enforcement, and information can create shared social norms for 
safety. However, when used in isolation, education, information and publicity do not 
generally deliver tangible and sustained reductions in deaths and serious injuries. 
Historically, considerable emphasis has been placed on efforts to reduce road user error 
through traffic safety education – for example, in pedestrian and cycle education for 
schoolchildren, and in advanced and remedial driver training schemes. Although such 
efforts can be effective in changing behaviour, there is no evidence that they have been 
effective in reducing rates of road traffic crashes.” 

-- Ranjit

Abhijit Athavale

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Jul 24, 2014, 3:58:28 AM7/24/14
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In other words, such campaigns are useless. How about making sure that the entire focus is on enforcement of existing traffic laws per the letter of the law and saying no ad hoc'ism and discretion?

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Ranjit Gadgil

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Jul 24, 2014, 10:46:43 AM7/24/14
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That would cover a fair bit of these recommendations (in the paper)

SAFETY MEASURES FOR THE NEAR FUTURE 

8. Pedestrian and bicyclist safety 

• Free left turns must be banned at all signalised junctions. This will give a safe time for 
pedestrians and bicyclists to cross the road 
• Speed control in urban areas. Maximum speed limits of 50 km/h on arterial roads need to 
be enforced by police monitoring, and 30 km/h in residential areas and by judicious use of 
speed breakers, dead end streets and mini roundabouts. In the short term of three years, a 
target of covering 10% of the roads can be attempted. 
• Increasing the conspicuity of bicycles by fixing of reflectors on all sides and wheels and 
painting them in yellow, white or orange colours. Initially voluntary drives and 
encouragement, and later mandating the same can do this 

9. Motorcyclist safety 

• Notification of mandatory helmet laws by every state. The Motor Vehicles Act of India 
specifies that all motorised two-wheeler riders must wear a helmet in the country. However, 
since transportation is a state subject, most states are not enforcing this regulation. 
Helmets are available, as the manufacturing capability already exists in the country 
• Mandatory daytime headlights use by two-wheeler riders. 

10. Motor vehicle occupants 

• Enforcement of seatbelt use laws countrywide 
• Restricting travel in front seat of cars by children has the potential of reducing injuries 
dramatically. 
• Bus and truck occupant injuries and fatalities and injuries caused to other road users can 
be reduced significantly by enforcing strict observance of speed limit regulations on 
highways. This can be done by ensuring that bus timetables and truck movement 
schedules ensure that drivers can observe speed limits with ease. Random speed checking 
on highways would help ensure such measures. 

11. Road measures – initiation of good practices 

• Traffic calming in urban areas and on rural highways passing through towns and villages. 
• Improvement of existing traffic circles by bringing them in accordance with modern 
roundabout practices and substituting existing signalised junctions with roundabouts. 
• Provision of segregated bicycle lanes and disabled friendly pedestrian paths. 
• Mandatory road safety audit for all road building and improvement projects 

12. Pre-hospital care, treatment and rehabilitation 

• Modern knowledge regarding prehospital care to be made available widely. 
• Training of specialists in trauma care.

-- Ranjit

Anil Risbud

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Jul 25, 2014, 4:17:15 AM7/25/14
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I fully agree - awareness campaigns can't be effective in the absence of strict enforcement.

However, there are additional factors  e.g stricter RTO passing norms, need for accelerating phasing out of unfit vehicles, retrofitting older vehicles with seat-belts, improved road infrastructure etc. that would help too. A multi-pronged approach is needed.

Also, while I appreciate that a long list of recommendations exist in an expert's paper (since 2004!!)
the urgent need, is to make an 80-20 analysis, and implement a few obvious measures.

e.g. Begin with enforcing Mumbai Pune expressway speed limit with radar guns and mobile patrol or enforce two wheeler helmets in Pune), monitor the effectiveness and make "success stories" out of such activities.

best regards,

Anil

Harshad Abhyankar

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Jul 25, 2014, 12:46:53 PM7/25/14
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I think whether a campaign is successful or not depends on how it is run, and it applies to road safety campaigns as well.  Most such campaigns in India are run for the sake of doing an "event" or adding a bullet item in some report, and hence are seldom effective.

But I distinctly remember having read a news item some 8-10 years ago, from some town in Kerala.  Alarmed by high fatality rates of pedestrians, the Traffic Cop head in that town suggested that pedestrians cross roads with their arm raised.  Donno if they meant raised by 90 or 180 deg, but raised all the same.  He involved all his staff.  They would cross roads with pedestrians, "teaching" them to raise their arms.  They did this tirelessly.  People would be embarrassed to have a cop cross a road with you, so they started raising their arms.  The fatality rate declined substantially over 2-odd months.

I vaguely remember that the town was Aleppy or Kottayam - forgot which.  I don't know whether the town still crosses roads with raised arms - very likely not.  And the news item did not give numbers - duh!

- Harshad.



From: Anil Risbud <anil....@gmail.com>
To: PTTF General <ptt...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, 25 July 2014 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: [pttfgen:5323] Re: Do road safety campaigns work?

Anil Risbud

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Jul 25, 2014, 2:31:28 PM7/25/14
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hi Harshad (also other NGO members),

nice story!
yes - well designed campaigns can be very effective.
e.g. the Pulse Polio campaign.

As a (dormant) SPTM member, the story inspired me to think of an experiment that can be carried out at any crossing with one volunteer on either side of a zebra crossing with a "walk" sign (ought to be working!), maybe on a sat/sun morning for a few hrs.

The idea is simple:-
Each volunteer holds a box of several not-so-small yet lightweight paper or plastic flags (mounted on a plastic/wooden stick) with a picture of a zebra painted on them.
They request  pedestrians to pick one up, cross the road while waiving the flag and deposit it in the box with the volunteer on the other side.
But the pedestrians should be requested to cross ONLY when the Walk sign is ON.

If the to/fro pedestrian traffic does not match, the volunteers periodically re-balance their inventory :-)

A simple variation: Use a mixture of flags with different, yet relevant pictures: Zebras, just the stripes, a green Walk-sign or a stop signal.
Better to print the pictures on both sides of the flags.
A bigger, easily visible flag could be planted by the side of the volunteer standing with the box.
There could be some pilferage, so carry a bigger stock to replenish lost flags.

Suggestions for measuring effectiveness, with or without enforcement added:-

a. Count no. of riders jumping red signal in say, 30 minutes with no intervention (except volunteers noting down the count of violators)
b. -do- with the flag marches by pedestrians
c. -do- with the flag marches by pedestrians with a cop standing (also with a BIG flag in his hand!!) but doing nothing
d. -do- the cop is now seen to be busy actively booking violators who jump the red. A big version of our flag hoisted by his side would add colour!

No slogans, no shouting, no big banners, no publicity - just a silent display of the pedestrian rights (with or without the stick thrown-in) in a very low-cost manner!!!!
My guess is, action (of both kinds - Gandhigiri and non-Gandhigiri) would speak a thousand words....

A wider campaign could also be envisioned around the idea, where the same "event" is staged at multiple crossings in rotation throughout an area, randomly during busy working hours. By associating the policeman (present only sometimes) with the zebra flags, riders would automatically learn to be on their guard while approaching a junction with zebra flags floating across.... (Am I day-dreaming????)

A citywide (or even countrywide) campaign could be titled something like "Watch out: the Zebras Are Crossing" (pl note: the domain names www.zebrasarecrossing.* are available!!!)
Video clips like the one at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWZt9EdU3BU could be used in a TV ad, as a part of a sponsored campaign...

Any takers??

rgds,

Anil

Abhijit Athavale

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Jul 25, 2014, 11:30:24 PM7/25/14
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One small correction. Sign should say STOP not Walk.

----- Sent from a mobile device. Please excuse the brevity.

Anil Risbud

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Jul 26, 2014, 4:18:24 AM7/26/14
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Abhijit,

Sure a red STOP sign on the placards would be the most obvious thing to do.
Even here, the actual picture could be varied.

Why I mentioned the "Walk" sign: Some of the placards could also carry an icon with a green (or if that is confusing, a blue/white, or yellow/black) Walking person, signifying:  "Stop, we are walking across".e.g. see: http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/walk_sign.html

The zebra could serve as the mascot of the campaign, hence a picture of zebra could be interspersed on some of the flags.
An interesting variations, where a string of school children dressed as zebras (with tail and all) cross the road on weekends, could also be envisioned.

The point is, with some imagination/help from a mktg agency, NGOs could design simple, low-cost, highly effective and easily measurable campaigns to help inculcate better driving habits. If we ensure that enforcement is stepped up simultaneously, the effectiveness might go up (needs to be measured of course).

You might have come across the video of the seat-belt campaign with a transgender crew on the road, that went viral:-


rgds,

Anil

Rajendra Sidhaye

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Jul 26, 2014, 6:34:27 AM7/26/14
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The idea is good & very well described by Anil,...as always.

However, it appears that it is mainly targeted at the vehicle drivers i.e. to educate them to improve their habits. Of course, the other benefit of this could be to draw attention to this issue, if done over a large scale and in a sustained way. 

But it hardly involves putting any pressure on governing authorities to get their act right.  

Major issues at this point are:
(1) The traffic signages on road i.e. Zebra & Stop lines are absolutely in pathetic condition.  Without these, the effect on the drivers (due to any campaign) wears off very very fast.....even till they reach the next chowk where our action is not there.  
(2) Ineffective Enforcement.
I hear the statements: "Enforcement should be strict"......"Enforcement should be strict".... and there wouldn't be absolutely any debate about it that this is needed. But the point is, how do we go from current state to the state of enforcement becoming strict? Expressing that on forum like this.. or by media in an assorted way whenever some incident happens... ??

  SPTM followed up closely with Jt.CP Sanjeev Singhal, besides DCP Pandhre over last year and they accepted that enforcement should be their main action (and that it should be done in 'Achanak' way) and not the regulation. But the fact is whole population and the politicians collude to force & bind the traffic police to chowks..and moreover put pressure that their job is regulation and not enforcement.  
    Regarding the issue 1 above, the over-distributed-PMC system is absolutely pathetic and the planners are keen to send pedestrians over the bridges or under the roads (passes). 

The campaign needs to address these major issues. Moreover getting the volunteers to do the on road actions is easier said than done. SPTM has carried out such on road actions in a major way in past. However, getting them for a long duration is a big challenge. Ditto even if we want to involve college students by giving them catchy T shirts etc.


Regards,

Rajendra 













 

Anil Risbud

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Jul 26, 2014, 12:28:25 PM7/26/14
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Hi Rajendra,

Thanks for the kind words!
I always wished I could take part in one of the SPTM campaigns on Saturdays, so thought of one such campaign, that was inspired by Harshad's post.

Since you feel that targeting drivers alone would have limited dividends, here is a more serious idea with a broader coverage. The focus would be on all-round discipline and multi-agency participation. Accepted, it is easy to propose an idea, while for an NGO it would be a long and arduous task to actually implement it.

However, it is indeed admirable, that SPTM has run many such local mini-campaigns with weekend volunteers, hence you guys already know the ropes!! Hence I am hopeful that you will consider it for implementation along with other NGOs/agencies.

The idea here is to widen the scope to cover all stakeholders.

Instead of a single driver behaviour (i.e. jumping the red, or not stopping before zebras), an NGO (with the help of the police) could focus on a busy intersection and turn it into a model intersection. Planning and coordination with several agencies would be needed to achieve this. Several student groups could be involved in implementing parts of the project.

SPTM has already done parts of the activities below at specific intersections, now the idea is to focus on the ALL ASPECTS of an intersection:-

a) choose a busy junction that has a significant no. of pedestrians crossing everyday
    (will happen during busy hrs esp. evenings)
    better if it has a reasonable footpath width
    (so we could request pedestrians not to walk on the road near the junction)
b) get a sponsor to get a battery backed signal system, to ensure that signals are *never* out of order
    (the company's signage will be displayed)
    ensure that the signals are in order, and the signal cycles are optimized.
    also, the signals are turned off (or blinking yellow) only at appropriate times.
c) get the zebras properly painted by authorities (maybe just after heavy rains subside - if at all they arrive)
d) spruce up other infrastructure at the junction - e.g.
- get railings erected for 50 meters on all sides so pedestrians cross only at the junction
e) get the footpaths near the junction cleared of debris, also no encroachments! (could be the toughest part)
f) run mini-campaigns cyclically, in a manner similar to the one I described before 
   the campaigns to have both aspects: education/awareness and enforcement, in cooperation with the police for enforcement
   various aspects could be covered cyclically, focussing on all stakeholders,
   viz. drivers (2 and 4-wheelers and truck/bus/PMPML drivers targeted separately as needed)
   pedestrians
   residents living in nearby buildings
   cyclists
   even the police themselves!
g) examples:
- not jumping the red, respect the zebra, seat-belts, lane discipline (bus drivers, 2 wheelers, right-turners)
- crossing only upon the Walk sign (pedestrians)
- no honking, shut off engines if wait time is over a minute (drivers, residents)
- anti-pollution masks, sun-caps, for the police standing at the junction mainly for enforcement
  (assuming signals will be working most of the time)
- enforcing no-parking for 50 meters on all sides (shoo away drivers who wait for too long, too!!)
- handing out a limited no. of discount coupons to buy helmets in exchange of mobile nos.,for two wheeler riders
  (do this on the "wear-helmets" campaign day)
  This can be done by the police themselves, after "catching" riders without helmets and after fining them!!
- bus drivers need to park closer to footpaths (like the expt opp. Wadeshwar)
- promoting carpooling among lone drivers (who appear to be on the way to office)
- understanding the difficulties of regular cyclists using the junction (e.g. the right turn)

Plan a before/after analysis, measuring throughput, counts of violations, even track the police collections.... say over 4 months.

There could be several learnings/outcomes:-
- correlation of specific campaigns with outcomes
- study of signal cycle efficacy/fine tuning of the same
- demonstrating the impact of better infrastructure (e.g. before/after railings or after battery backup installed for signals)
- effect on traffic discipline (e.g. tracking trend of signal violations based on video based counting)
- tracking no. of minor/major accidents (and their causes) at the junction during the study period
- overall impact on the junction, of the holistic (as against piecemeal) approach implemented over a period

The spinoffs go much beyond drivers/improving safety or reducing congestion alone - the police/authorities would (hopefully) see the value in having a better infrastructure and the value of policemen (either in an achanak manner or for limited slots of time) available purely for enforcement (like it happens in Mumbai, at busy junctions). A video report of the study project/experiment, could be used for training and for educating decision makers.

For a better buy-in, ensure you sell the idea top-down to minimize resistance, provide positive media coverage, plan face-time for politicians/officials on news channels etc. Think of a catchy name too - e.g. "Chowk Chakachak", 

I am sure, if an NGO liike Parisar/SPTM are willing to coordinate such a project, students from various colleges (civil/architecture/design depts) around the city would be keen to take part in implementing parts of the project, as their college projects for over a semester!! The NGO could even hire a paid project manager for the project for coordination, once the concept is accepted, by the "authorities".

If the prototype at one intersection is useful, could be replicated at others. BRT junctions might pose different challenges.

What do you think?

best regards,

Anil

Rajendra Sidhaye

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Jul 26, 2014, 9:11:01 PM7/26/14
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Hi Anil,

SPTM has planned & is working on one of the projects on similar lines, over a relatively small area, but much larger than a chowk!..& we did not include finer aspects from your description like b), e). 

Will discuss the details you have proposed in our core team & revert to you later...

Regards,

Rajendra


Anil Risbud

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Jul 27, 2014, 9:51:04 PM7/27/14
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great, our best wishes!!
Hope other NGOs will chip in with some help too (e.g. volunteers, getting sponsors for battery-backed signals, pursing agencies for specific tasks)...
rgds,
Anil
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