1. A randomized trial of behavioral interventions yielding sustained reductions in distracted driving.
- Author
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Ebert JP, Xiong RA, Khan N, Abdel-Rahman D, Leitner A, Everett WC, Gaba KL, Fisher WJ, McDonald CC, Winston FK, Rosin RM, Volpp KG, Barnett IJ, Wiebe DJ, Halpern SD, and Delgado MK
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Male, Adult, Middle Aged, Aged, Adolescent, Automobile Driving, Young Adult, Distracted Driving prevention & control
- Abstract
Distracted driving is responsible for nearly 1 million crashes each year in the United States alone, and a major source of driver distraction is handheld phone use. We conducted a randomized, controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of interventions designed to create sustained reductions in handheld use while driving (NCT04587609). Participants were 1,653 consenting Progressive® Snapshot® usage-based auto insurance customers ages 18 to 77 who averaged at least 2 min/h of handheld use while driving in the month prior to study invitation. They were randomly assigned to one of five arms for a 10-wk intervention period. Arm 1 (control) got education about the risks of handheld phone use, as did the other arms. Arm 2 got a free phone mount to facilitate hands-free use. Arm 3 got the mount plus a commitment exercise and tips for hands-free use. Arm 4 got the mount, commitment, and tips plus weekly goal gamification and social competition. Arm 5 was the same as Arm 4, plus offered behaviorally designed financial incentives. Postintervention, participants were monitored until the end of their insurance rating period, 25 to 65 d more. Outcome differences were measured using fractional logistic regression. Arm 4 participants, who received gamification and competition, reduced their handheld use by 20.5% relative to control ( P < 0.001); Arm 5 participants, who additionally received financial incentives, reduced their use by 27.6% ( P < 0.001). Both groups sustained these reductions through the end of their insurance rating period., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:While involved with this research, W.J.F., K.L.G., and W.C.E. were employed by The Progressive Corporation. As employees of the company, W.J.F., K.L.G., and W.C.E. owned stock in The Progressive Corporation. K.G.V. is part owner of a consulting company, VALHealth. F.K.W. has an intellectual property and financial interest in Diagnostic Driving, Inc. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has an institutional interest in Diagnostic Driving, Inc. Diagnostic Driving, Inc., created a virtual driving assessment system that is used in Ohio as an assessment at licensing centers and in driving schools to assess driver training programs but not used in this study. Flaura K. Winston serves as the chief scientific advisor of Diagnostic Driving, Inc. This potential conflict of interest is managed under a conflict-of-interest management plan from CHOP and the University of Pennsylvania.
- Published
- 2024
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