The objective of this study was to identify effective safety communication messages and strategies for increasing safety belt usage among young males in rural areas. Focus groups were conducted with young males 16-19 and 20-26 years old who acknowledged that they do not consistently use their safety belts when driving in their pickup trucks. Two waves of focus groups were held at two sites in Kentucky, and at two sites in Texas. The Kentucky groups were comprised entirely of white non Hispanic males whereas the Texas groups split evenly between those composed of white non Hispanic males and those composed of Hispanic males. The study obtained results concerning appropriate message content and communication strategies, as well as cultural and psychological barriers that need to be addressed. Strategies promoting safety belt use must consider several key factors. First the respondents emphasized that they tend to be more affected by the way in which their actions affect those close to them, and less affected by how their own actions affect themselves. Secondly, the message should be simple, brief, and clearly show the direct consequences of nonuse. Finally, the respondents' comments suggested they harbor many misconceptions about the effectiveness of safety belts, based both on misinformation from key influencers and their own defence mechanisms. Strategies must recognize these misconceptions and use developmentally appropriate social marketing messages to counter their effects.
Abstract