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NHTSA Tween Seat Belt Use Research Program
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“Buckle Up For The Future”
“Buckle Up For The Future”
NHTSA Tween Seat Belt Use Research Program
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“Buckle Up For The Future”
Coordinators
Laura Swetin Rachel Reitemeier
Qualitative Research
Alejandra Mojica Minh Pham Khrystyna Prokhorenko
Joanna Kowalczyk Anna Budz Chardae McCauley
Quantitative Research
Ruth Yang Natalie Cho Steve Braciszewicz
Anna Lyszczarczyk
Finance
Sagar Shah Colette LaKoma Rakhee Bhakta
Marta Lagowska
Advertising
Andrei Piatsevich Chris Laskowski
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Table of Contents Special Thanks .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6
Secondary Research Review ......................................................................................................................... 7
Methodology for Qualitative: Observational Study ................................................................................... 14
Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
Limitations and Caveats .............................................................................................................................. 17
Methodology for Qualitative: Focus Group ................................................................................................ 17
Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 18
Limitations and Caveats .............................................................................................................................. 20
Methodology for Qualitative: In-‐Depth Interview ..................................................................................... 21
Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 21
Limitations and Caveats .............................................................................................................................. 22
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 22
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Methodology for Quantitative ................................................................................................................... 23
Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 24
Demographic Data .................................................................................................................................. 24
Correlation Analysis Results ................................................................................................................... 32
Regression Analysis Results .................................................................................................................... 33
Limitations and Caveats .............................................................................................................................. 38
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 39
Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 41
Advertising .................................................................................................................................................. 41
Campaign Strategy ...................................................................................................................................... 54
Financial Highlights ..................................................................................................................................... 51
APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................................................ 54
APPENDIX B ................................................................................................................................................ 58
APPENDIX C ................................................................................................................................................. 67
APPENDIX D ................................................................................................................................................ 69
APPENDIX E ................................................................................................................................................. 70
APPENDIX F ................................................................................................................................................. 71
APPENDIX G ................................................................................................................................................ 72
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Special Thanks
South Loop Solutions would like to express our deepest gratitude to Tom Cronin and Shannon Conlon of EdVenture Partners for making this project possible and for providing us the opportunity and resources to generate awareness of seat belt use in the Chicagoland metropolitan area. In addition, their feedback and assistance has been invaluable and has helped to ensure our agency stays on course for completion of our project and its stated goals and objectives. Through their consistent guidance and critical feedback we are confident that the results contained within our booklet meet their expectations. We would not be where we are today without the positive influence put forth by Tom and Shannon.
We would also like to thank EdVenture Partners for providing us with a great opportunity to work for National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Our resources for our project were both comprehensive and supportive and provided the framework necessary to be successful. Their ability to provide us with great assistance that enabled us to carry out this research project is deeply appreciated. Their professionalism provided us with a vast learning experience that will definitely help us in our future endeavors.
We would like to thank all the local businesses and organizations that were able to assist us in funds and donations for our campaign. Through the aid of these groups, we were able to maximize the value of budget while still staying within the budget. It is because of the support we received from these businesses and organizations that we were able to allocate our funds in areas that needed more monetary resources than others. Their assistance allowed us to maximize our resources and contributed to the successful attainment of our goals.
Finally, we would like to give a special thanks to our coordinators, Rachel Reitemeier and Laura Swetin. Without whom this marketing campaign would have been impossible. Under their direction, South Loop Solutions has been able to finish our objectives in a timely manner regardless of all the obstacles we had to overcome. Laura and Rachel have dedicated a lot of time and energy into this campaign and it truly shows through the success we have experienced. Due to the fact that our project required extensive out of class time and travel it was imperative to have diligent leadership to coordinate the efforts of our team.
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Executive Summary
Seat belt safety has been a concern for decades throughout the United States. Despite multiple campaigns to promote the usage of seat belts such as “Click It or Ticket” and “Buckle up America”, a problem remains concerning a percentage of vehicle passengers who do not regularly follow these safety guidelines. This portion of the population continues to put their lives at risk on a daily basis due to poor decision making and negative habitual behavior. In particular, NHTSA is focusing on the safety of Tweens, who are composed of children between the ages of 8 and 12. “Motor vehicle accidents across the nation are currently the leading cause of death between kids of this age level” (Edventure Partners).The goal of this research study is to provide insight on the perceptions of seat belt usage and recommend ways to positively influence all Tween passengers to wear their seat belts on a regular basis.
The ultimate purpose of the group’s study is to identify the missing factors that are linked to Tween’s decision to buckle up, as well as reduce the number of Tween fatalities and injuries in future years to come related to motor vehicle accidents. This age group has a moldable mindset, meaning that what is implemented into their actions now can affect the decisions they make in future years of their life. This enables NHTSA to fortify positive associations with seat belt usage into the minds of Tweens to prevent future deaths on the roads of America.
We had an extensive research group consisting of several different areas including: surveys, focus groups, observational studies, and in-‐depth interviews. We exceeded the minimal NHTSA requirements, providing us with a more effective and accurate sample. First, we had to find our participants and then we collected data based on the information that we were given. After, we analyzed the data and formed conclusions to assist our client in ongoing research.
Financially, the group was provided a $1,000 budget. After all our costs were incurred, we were able to establish a return on investment of 116%, more than doubling the value of our. Through the aid of business contacts, we were able to acquire donations, discounts and support to help maximize our limited budget and carry out a financially successful campaign.
Advertising became incorporated into the research study as well during the middle of the semester. We created an advertising campaign and developed ten visualizations using Adobe Photoshop. The agency that our team created is named South Loop Solutions.
The information which we collected proved that not all of our initial assumptions were correct. However, many variables proved to be significant and played an important role in our conclusions. All of our conclusions were based upon statistical analysis and client objectives. Based upon our research analysis, NHTSA needs to emphasize the importance of seat belt use into the minds of Tweens. An effective way to approach this is to incorporate new ad campaigns. Also, our results indicate that parents play a major influential role and the NHTSA needs to focus their attention on relaying this message to the parents and influencers.
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Introduction Research conducted by NHTSA revealed that “lap/shoulder seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-‐seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-‐to-‐critical injury by 50 percent. In 2006 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 15,383 lives” (Traffic Safety Facts: 2006 Data, NHTSA, DOT HS 810807). Even though seat belt usage has increased tremendously throughout the years there is still 17% of vehicle occupants that are not properly restrained while in a motor vehicle according to NHTSA (Traffic Safety Facts: 2008 Data, NHTSA, DOT HS 811 036). Included in this 17% are Tweens, whom face the leading cause of deaths due to motor vehicle crashes. (Edventure Partners). The safety of younger children (younger than 8) and older teens (16 years and older) in motor vehicle safety has been given extensive attention, but Tweens, ages 8 to 12, have not received thorough attention. Also, with the current law structure that we have in place, Tweens are caught in between state child passenger safety laws and adult safety laws, which mean that they do not necessarily fall under either institution of laws. In addition, the Tween segment is very unique in nature with different motor vehicle safety needs. Because this audience is developing life-‐long habits now, it is the time to enact and instill practices that will save lives and prevent injuries on the road (Edventure Partners).
Purpose and Objectives The ultimate goal for conducting this research is to provide a better understanding of this segment in order to assist in the future developments of campaigns that target the Tween population regarding safe seat belt habits. In order to do that, we assessed the Tween population and their current habits regarding seat belt usage. We collected this information through primary research, which includes a survey, focus groups, in-‐depth interviews, and an observational study. Everything that we did answers the following objectives:
·∙ Determine what Tweens think, believe, and perceive regarding seat belt safety ·∙ Identify key influencers in Tween’s lives that motivate their behavior ·∙ Recognize the most appropriate forms of communication to utilize recommend appropriate
messaging and modes of delivery to positively influence Tween seat belt use based on identification of key influencers supported by research findings in reaching the key influencers
In reference to the first objective, we want to understand the current Tween market. We used primary research to determine whether or not Tweens currently wear a seat belt. If they do wear seat belts, do they wear them properly? In contrast, if they do not wear seat belts, what is the reason for that? Our goal was to learn whether or not Tweens are aware of the importance of seat belt safety. If so, how did they learn and if not, has anyone tried to teach them? Ultimately moving forward with communication recommendations, we determined the most influential individuals in a Tween’s life so that we can target them as modes to deliver the message to the target market. Our goal was to determine whom the Tweens listen to most often, who they look up to, and whose knowledge and advice they respect the most. After our research, we can now utilize them to relay the message of safety to Tweens.
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For our last objective, our goal was to determine the best way to reach out to those Tween influencers found in objective two. The ‘influencers’ referred to are the everyday people who most greatly impact the Tweens being surveyed and talked to. Once we found whom to target to relay on our message of seat belt safety, we needed to determine how to reach these people. This objective also includes finding the best form of communication that the influencers can use to talk to Tweens about the importance of seat belts. Our goal for the qualitative portion of our research was to conduct at least 3 focus groups (both with Tweens and the parents/guardians/influencers of Tweens) or 10 in depth interviews with each of our target markets. We also wanted to participate in several observations of Tweens and their influencers to fully understand their current habits. Good behavior of parents and influencers usually motivates the Tweens to act in the same manner. By understanding how the parents or guardians of the Tweens behave, we now have a better working knowledge of why Tweens buckle up or do not buckle up. Our main goal for the quantitative portion included developing and implementing a questionnaire to a sample of at least 200 Tween parents and 50 Tweens, at a minimum.
Secondary Research Review Secondary resources were researched to examine seatbelt use amongst Tweens. The resources were assessed in February in the city of Chicago. For a detailed listing of sources, refer to this report’s “Works Cited” section.
When gathering secondary research, the team focused its efforts on key areas of interest in regards to the Tween population. Specifically, articles relating to Tween seatbelt use, injuries, traffic safety, and seatbelt laws were investigated, and the results are presented in the following section by the articles researched.
ARTICLE: Injuries to belted older children in motor vehicle crashes
There has been plenty attention given to the safety of child passengers and using child restraints for children under the age of eight. No attention has been paid to the ages of 8-‐12 because there is an assumption that seat belts should provide adequate protection for the older kids as well in case of a crash. It is currently recommended that all children under the age of 13 sit in the back seat and use the vehicle seat belts, unless they are less than 57 inches tall, in which case they have to use either a booster or car seat. Approximately one Tween passenger is killed in a car crash each day and 70,000 are injured within one year. A study has been conducted to describe the characteristics of older children sitting in the back seat, to estimate their risk, and to find out the risk factors for injury. State Farm’s insurance claims were the source of subjects with telephone survey and on-‐site crash investigations acting as primary research. The subjects that qualified for the study were State Farm insured cars from model year 1990 or newer, which were involved in a car crash with at least one child occupant under the age of 16. When a policyholder fit the requirements and gave consent to participate in the study, limited data was transferred from State Farm and a telephone survey was conducted with the driver. The things discussed in the survey were seating row and seating position (front or back seat), restraint status
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(whether or not the child was wearing a seat belt and if it was worn properly), the injury status of the child, and the severity of the crash (this was determined by the damage done to the car). The results showed that 71% of Tweens rode in the back seat but this proportion decreased with age. From the study of the 7,285 children in the back seat, 6,680 wore seat belts, 114 were in booster seats, and 491 did not have either. The kids who did not have any safety restraint had an injury risk of 3.1% and those that did have seat belts on only had an injury risk of .3%. Additionally, 87.2% of the kids in the study were using lap/shoulder belts, but only 80.1% used them properly, so the other 7.1% had the strap behind the back or underneath the arm. In conclusion, the study showed that the overall risk of injury in crashes is 1.3% for those Tweens who sat buckled up in the back seat. The most common injuries in the reported crashes were injuries to the head, abdomen, and upper extremity. It is concluded from this study, that 8-‐12 year olds do not get the same protection from vehicle restraints in crashes as younger children do. The 8-‐12 age group risk is 1.3%, which seems low, but the risk of injury for 1-‐7 years olds is under 1%. Notably, a large percentage of kids of each age 8-‐12 did not meet the standards to use a seat belt without a booster seat; therefore, suggesting that many Tweens may benefit from using the belt-‐positioning booster seat. A greater level of attention should be then paid to the Tween age group (by performing research) to lower the risk of injury. Source: Garcia-‐Espana J.F., Durbin D.R. Injuries to belted older children in motor vehicle crashes
(2008) Accident Analysis and Prevention, 40 (6), pp. 2024-‐2028.
ARTICLE: “‘Tween’ Traffic Safety Research Yields New Safety Tips”
The Article “‘Tween’ Traffic Safety Research Yields New Safety Tips” was based on studies conducted by the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) that funded two projects on Tween car safety in Dallas, TX and Joplin, MO. The two locations consisted of different populations: inner city, largely Hispanic in Dallas; and rural, predominantly Caucasian in Joplin. Statistics showed that about 63% of Joplin Tweens and 53% of Dallas Tweens said they always wear their seat belts. As children get older, their desire to sit in the front seat was greater. Studies in Dallas and Joplin indicated that about 50% of 12-‐year-‐olds usually sat in the front. Research shows that children are 40% less likely to get injured in the back seat than in the front seat. Nearly half of the Tweens killed in car crashes in this country each year were riding unrestrained and one third were riding in a front seat. The surveys found that parents have a huge impact on their Tweens’ use of seat belts. Research shows that the older children get, the less likely they are to use seat belts or to sit in the back seat. It is very important to emphasize and encourage seat belt use to Tweens because they are at the age where they are developing habits that will carry on into their teen and adult years. Research suggests that parents need to be more effective at getting their Tweens properly restrained in the back seat. Tweens are safest in the back seat in an age and size-‐appropriate restraint. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that states should strengthen and enforce laws requiring children to buckle up in the back seat. If we have strong laws, then we hope that these laws will support parents’ efforts to properly restrain their children. Surveys showed when parents take control, Tweens tend to sit in the back. Two-‐thirds of Tweens sit in a back seat
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when parents make the decision, compared to only half of Tweens who independently decide where to sit. If the law does not require Tweens to buckle up, that does not mean it is not important. Parents should understand that safety of their children is more important than the law. Peer influence is very important, but the Tweens perception of their peers’ behavior is more important than their actual behavior. If Tweens think most other kids their age use safety restraints and sit in the back seat, then they are more likely to do those things, too. Parents are the role models that children admire and look to for guidance. Parents and drivers should make sure that the children they are responsible for are properly buckled into the safest available place in the vehicle. Surveys show if parents take control, “Tweens” are more likely to sit in the back and to be buckled up. It’s their job to set the rules for riding and stick to them.
The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) came up with a clever idea for how to spread safety awareness to parents for Valentine’s Day. The tag line was “Hold on to the One You Love -‐ With A Seat Belt.” ACTS offered parents specific suggestions for how to persuade Tweens to buckle up in a back seat:
If parents buckle up, then their children will do the same. Research shows when parents are restrained, their children are much more likely to be as well.
Parents should tell their children that seat belts are mandatory by law. Let Tweens know belt use isn't an option; it's the law.
Tweens said being in control of the radio is a major benefit of the front seat. So, let your Tween pick the radio station. Make a deal with your Tween: If he or she sits buckled in back, then he or she can choose.
Give your Tween something to do in a back seat. Electronic games can be stored in a back seat and make games in the front seat off limits.
Let Tweens "own" their space in a back seat. Tweens are eager to claim their own space. Let them set up places to keep things in a back seat so that's the first place they want to go.
According to Christene Jennings, ACTS director stated: "Armed with this information, we can reach out to Tweens, their parents and others who influence their behavior, increase the number who are properly restrained in back seats and most importantly decrease the risk of serious or fatal injury in a crash." Source: 'Tween' Traffic Safety Research Yields New Safety Tips. 14 February 2010.
<http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/02/14/210712.html>
ARTICLE: Increasing Seat Belt Use Among 8-‐12 Year Olds
This extensive article offers plenty of information on a previous research done by NHTSA. NHTSA did intensive research on Tweens between the ages of 8 – 12 and their seat belt use. The report describes research that was conducted with in depth home interviews including parents and Tweens, and focus groups with parents and Tweens. The purpose of the research program was to understand why Tweens chose whether or not to wear their seat belts and also determine up with potential incentives for the Tweens to wear their seat belts. Tweens were separated further down into sub-‐age groups. For example, ages 8-‐10 are young Tweens, 11 and 12 are the older Tweens. The reason for a further break down was that Tweens seemed to be
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motivated and influenced by different peer groups. The article describes how each sub-‐group has its own characteristics and attitudes and the article provides a greater depth on this subject. The research below includes various reasons for why the Tweens chose not to wear their seat belts:
They forget Seat belts are uncomfortable Simply because they don’t want to The seat belts are broken or stuck Car does not have safety equipment Not enough seat belts in car
The final part of the report includes concepts that motivate Tweens to wear their seat belts:
Having an assembly with student speakers their age Radio lock, where the radio does not turn on until all seat belts are fastened Video games in the car pertaining to wearing a seat belt Influence by sports/coaches
Source: Increasing Seat Belt Use Among 8-‐15 Year Olds. 14 February 2010.
<http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/staticfiles//DOT/NHTSA/Traffic%20Injury%20Control/Articles/Associated%20Files/810965.pdf>
ARTICLE: Safety belts and teens 2003 Report
There are two kinds of laws that are created to help people remember about using seat belts. A primary seat belt law gives a permit to enforcement officers to pull a driver over for not wearing a seat belt, and there is no need for any other traffic offense. Secondary seat belt laws say that enforcement officers may issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt only when there is another traffic violation. In 2002, the average number of people using seat belts was about 11 percent higher in states where the primary law was used. Car accidents are the cause of many deaths every year, and to bring this number down, Occupant Protection Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs was created. The purpose of this program is to help people change their safety belt use behavior by combining safety belt law enforcement with media support. People are more likely to obey the law, knowing that particular State is very serious about it. Another successful campaign that was formed to increase seat belt usage rate was the "Click It or Ticket Campaign". This campaign was established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign, and many other law enforcement agencies. In states that introduced this campaign, the seat belt usage rates went up by as much as 19 percent. Source: NHTSA. “Safety Belts and Teens 2003 Report” 14 February 2010.
<http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/buasbteens03/> ARTICLE: Fatality and Injury Trends Among Child Front-‐Seat Passenger Vehicle Occupants 12 and
Younger
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Primarily starting in 1995, a significant percentage of child automobile safety programs have focused on mandating children 12 years and younger be seated in the backseat of automobiles to reduce injuries resulting post-‐collision from seat belt and air bag deployment. NHTSA has compiled data and analysis on government policies on the matter, as well as the ratio of front-‐seat fatalities and injuries for children under the age of 12 years. The research was conducted over a decade, starting in 1996 and ending in 2006 – allowing changes in legislation and child vehicle safety programs to be tracked over time. Research has documented an increase in safety campaigns, including governmental legislation, heightened enforcement, and public campaigns, supporting the move of children under the age of 12 years from the front passenger seat to the back seat of moving automobiles. Corresponding with this increase in public visibility in safety campaigns, research showed that front-‐seat accident related fatalities decreased 62% over the period of the study (from 1996 to 2006). It was documented that front-‐seat related injuries also decreased during this period. Traffic safety data concerning child front-‐seat passengers under the age of twelve is analyzed and discussed in this research article. Fatality and injury numbers for this age bracket display a declining trend from 1996 to 2006. The number of deaths decreased from 554 to 209 over the decade, including a 20% drop in the fatality ratio. “Over the 11-‐year period, the number of front-‐seat fatalities decreased by 10 percent every year on average.” These statistics illustrate how vehicle safety standards have reduced the overall amount of deaths for Tweens and other younger passengers. Regarding injuries, the number of children who were injured decreased by 56,000 during the 11-‐year time period. Also, the injury ratio dropped over 10% during the given timeframe. “Both the number and ratio of children injured decreased for 8 years and increased for 3 years between 1996 and 2006. Overall, the trend of injury number and injury ratio both went down in the 11-‐year period.” Relating to the fatalities mentioned earlier, the number of child automobile injuries has also been reduced due to safety advances in the automotive industry as well as consumer’s focus on safe driving. Trend data indicates the child safety campaigns have been successful in parents ensuring their children sit in the backseat of the car. Concerning Illinois only, statistics show that the rate of change is a decrease of 15% in both injuries and fatalities from 1996-‐2006. However, one major disadvantage of this research article is that any backseat related deaths or injuries were not considered, which is where Tweens often sit when traveling in an automobile. Data regarding backseat child safety would be very useful to compare to the provided statistics regarding front-‐seat passenger for this age group.
Source: Fatality and Injury Trends Among Child Front-‐Seat Passenger Vehicle Occupants 12 and Younger. 14 February 2010. <http://www-‐nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811030.PDF>
ARTICLE: INFLUENCING 8-‐12 YEAR-‐OLDS TO SIT SAFELY BUCKLED IN A BACK SEAT
In recent years, advocates of child safely are more inclined to have kids between 8 and 12 years old wear seat belts in the back seat. Every year, the rate of Tween deaths involving the lack of seat belt usage increases and many experts are adamant about making sure everyone is following the law. The Automovitive Coalition for Traffic Safety is speculating how often seat belt usage is being practiced by Tweens, considering many are taking the required law lightly when sitting in the back, which is the safest place for children under 13 to be sitting. If they do sit in the passenger seat, they are 40% more likely to be injured in a car crash; 35% of Tweens sit in the front.
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Generally, Tweens die in car crashes at a rate of more than one per day and 1,267 were injured in 2004. The main cause of death for Tweens who sat up front is due to the fact that they were not wearing a seat belt. Looking at studies conducted in Dallas, Texas and Joplin, Missouri, only 53% of children in Dallas and 63% in Joplin said they always wore seat belts. Experts find these statistics startling given that the national rate is 82%. It was also noticed that Tweens are riding in the passenger seat too soon for their young age with about 1/3 of Tweens in Joplin and Dallas sitting in the front seat. One of the underlying influencers of Tween failure to wear seat belts is that the parents have a strong impact on how children think. Studies found that 90% of children wear seat belts because their parents do. Of those with parents who do not wear seat belts, only 60% of children wear their seat belts. There are four factors that influence seat belt usage for Tweens:
Whether or not the driver wears a seat belt o From 1991-‐2001, 91% of children age 8-‐12 were killed in crashes, the driver did not
wear a seat belt Age of Driver Parent/Driver Requirement Peer Pressure
There are eight essential insights for traffic safety:
1. Tweens Don’t Always Buckle Up a. Only 63% of Tweens in Joplin, MO in the pilot survey said they always wear a seat belt b. Only 53% of Tweens in Dallas, TX in the pilot survey said they always wear a seat belt
2. Tweens Are Riding Up Front Too Soon a. About a third of Tweens in the pilot survey stated they sat in the front
3. Safety May Not Be A Concern for Tweens Sitting in Front a. Around one third of Tweens in the pilot survey stated that sitting in the back is safer
4. Tweens Want Comfort and Control a. Those that sat in the front stated that the control of the radio was a major benefit b. Buckling up is uncomfortable
5. Peers Are Very Influential a. Tweens who wear a seat belt all the time were more likely to report that others did the
same 6. Parents Matter 7. Boys and Girls Need To Be Approached Differently
a. 95% of girls vs. 87% of boys stated that they buckled up most of the time or all the time (Joplin pilot survey)
b. 2/3 of girls vs. 1/2 of boys stated that they liked the safety component of the back seat (Joplin pilot survey)
c. Boys were more likely to seek comfort, game-‐playing, and parental approval as a key factor for deciding where to sit (Joplin pilot survey)
8. The Law Matters a. Supports positive norms b. Encourages parents to tell their kids to buckle up
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There are some ideas what can be done to help promote good safety habits for Tweens:
Traffic Safety Advocates o Promote how common it is for Tweens to ride buckled up in the back seat o Implement programs that reward teens for staying buckled up in the back o Offer parents tips on how to encourage Tweens to sit in a back seat buckled up
Schools and Other Youth Organizations o Make safety a priority o Use coaches, teachers, and other role models to encourage safe driving habits o Encourage anyone who interacts with drivers to promote safety habits for Tweens o Offer specific tips
Parents o Make it a rule o Buckle up themselves o Share safe driving philosophy with other parents o Listen to Tweens wants in the car and accommodate them in a safe manner
Policymakers o Pass and enforce safety laws o Close gaps in laws that allow children to ride unrestrained o Promote o Fund and support traffic safety programs
Source: Influencing 8-‐12 Year-‐Olds to Sit Safely Buckled in a Back Seat. 14 February 2010. <http://www.Tweensafety.org/_docs/Tween%20Booklet.pdf>
ARTICLE: Rural/Urban Comparison
This research article discusses the fatalities in both rural and urban settings and compares the data in an attempt to draw conclusions about motor vehicle crash fatalities. There is not an in-‐depth emphasis on Tweens, but rather a focus on location and time of accidents for all vehicle passengers. “According to the 2007 Census, 23 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, however, rural fatalities accounted for 57 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2007.” This statistic shows that accidents are much deadlier in rural areas than in urban settings. Another piece of information that the article discusses is the number of miles traveled per accident ratio. Once again, the numbers in rural areas were significantly higher; over two times greater than those near major cities. Accidents during the night or on the weekend are also significantly higher than at other times, leading Tweens and their parents to ensure they buckle up during these peak times. One of the more important pieces of information included discusses seat belt usage. “The 2007 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) shows that the seat belt use rate among occupants of vehicles in urban areas was 84 percent and rural occupants were observed to have a use rate of 78 percent.” This increase of seat belt usage in urban areas may be correlated to the reduced number of fatalities in comparison to rural settings. Regarding Illinois, the state was ranked 9th out of the United States for total fatalities in 2007, which is a number that should be greatly reduced, if at all possible. We can conclude from these many segments of data that the rural areas are prone for bigger and more dangerous accidents, which leads us to emphasize the importance of seat belt safety and usage among Tweens and all other automobile passengers. Source:Rural/Urban Comparison. 14 February 2010. <http://www-‐
nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809524.PDF>
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ARTICLE: Safety belt use laws
This article cites that of the 50 states, 49 have state seat belt laws (the one that does not is New Hampshire). In these 49 states with seat belt safety laws, only 30 view the lack of seat belt usage as a primary offense (meaning in these 30 states, an individual can be pulled over for not wearing a seat belt). 19 states view it as a secondary offense (an individual cannot be pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, but a ticket can be written if pulled over for another offense). There is a safety belt defense law that states an individual’s claim in an accident can be lessened if that individual wasn’t wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, but that is only valid in 16 states. There are child restraint laws set out for all 50 states, but there is no clear definition throughout all 50 states, as each state differs with its laws. Source: Safety belt use laws. Insurance Institute For Highway Safety, Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.iihs.org/laws/SafetyBeltUse.aspx>
ARTICLE: Seat Belt Use in 2008—Use Rates in the States and Territories
This article shows the usage of seat belts in all US states and territories from 2001 to 2008. The use of this article, with the use of the previous one (which shows when failure to wear a seat belt as a primary offense), will show the jump of people in the given states who wore seat belts after it became a primary offense. This also shows the change from 2007 to 2008 for all states and territories (note: 18 states actually declined seat belt usage, including a 7.1% decline in Rhode Island). Source: Seat Belt Use in 2008—Use Rates in the States and Territories. Traffic Safety Facts. National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Web. 15 Feb. 2010.
Methodology for Qualitative: Observational Study Research Design In order to assist the team in looking at the relationships in various attitudes with actual seat belt use, we have chosen to conduct seat belt observational studies. Five team members conducted observational research in the suburbs of Chicago, while three different team members conducted research in Chicago, Illinois. The locations of suburban observations were near schools and shopping malls. City observations took place near churches and local sporting events. A spreadsheet has been created in order to document the observed data in which data was evaluated through SPSS. The information collected included driver’s general age, gender, and race. Team members also inquired on vehicle type, passenger age, and whether or not vehicle occupants were belted. Date and location were noted.
Population Sampling units reflected the projected target market, i.e. Tweens ages 8-‐12, parents/caregivers of Tweens and other influencers (of all ages). Demographic analysis was conducted in post-‐active research. Due to the extensive demographic information that was obtained, analysis was conducted through SPSS. Selection process was chosen according to secondary target segments. Hispanics were primarily observed in the urban areas of Chicago. Rural observations were conducted based on high traffic areas for the primary target segment.
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Collection Process Data was collected through a data collection spreadsheet. Segments of the document included information pertaining to the driver, passenger, and additional comments (i.e. direct or indirect observation and/or where the passenger was sitting i.e. front or back).
Method of Analysis Data analysis was conducted through SPSS for the quantifiable results. Other observed comments and conclusions were documented accordingly.
Results Descriptive Analysis Based off of the 280 observations that were made, we conducted statistical analysis to determine any specific correlation between seat belt use and other factors. From the statistics, we observed that the Tweens predominately sat in the back seat without a booster seat, and the remaining sat in the back seat with a booster seat or in the front seat. (These results do not take into account all the 280 observations, only 82, because not all NHTSA representatives specified the position of the passenger in the vehicle).
We observed Tweens between ages 8 and 12 and the graph below shows the distribution of the data.
Before doing the observations, we believed the vehicle type would influence the Tweens’ seat belt usage. If the size of the car was to be perceived as bigger, it would mean it was safer. As a result, there is no correlation between the type of vehicle and whether or not the Tween buckled up.
28%
17%26%
9%
21%
Age Distribution of Tweens
8
9
10
11
12
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We also assumed the location of the Tween in the vehicle would greatly influence the Tweens’ seat belt usage. The analysis determines that there is no strong evidence supporting a correlation between the location of the Tween in the vehicle and whether or not the Tween buckled up.
We conducted a correlation analysis between the driver’s sex and race vs. Tween seat belt use and driver’s sex vs. driver’s seat belt use. The races that were predominately observed were African-‐American, Caucasians, and Hispanics. The only correlation that was noticed was when the driver buckled up, the passenger chose also to buckle up.
53%
4%
31%
12%
Vehicle Type
car
pick-‐up truck
suv
mini van
30.5%
54.9%
14.6%
Location in the Vehicle
Front Seat
Back Seat (no Booster Seat)
Back Seat (Booster Seat)
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Otherwise, the correlation coefficient has no statistical significance and we can therefore conclude that there is no significant correlation between any of the determinants tested.
Limitations and Caveats Potential Errors After finishing the observational analysis, we found that there was potential for error that deviated our overall results. While observing if Tweens are wearing seat belts while riding in cars, the hardest part was determining the child’s ages. Knowing that our target has to be between the ages of 8 and 12 years old, we had to make assumptions when recording the data. The observations were done during the winter time, making it difficult to verify if the child was even wearing a seat belt because of the outerwear that they had on. Other potential inaccuracies that impacted our results were the difficulty of establishing the Tween’s gender and race. Most of the data did not record the type of vehicles that were observed.
Possible Improvements After doing indirect observations, we realized that we should have done some direct observations to ensure the exact demographic of our target group. We would not have to estimate any data that we were unsure of so our results would be more accurate.
Methodology for Qualitative: Focus Group Research Design In order to explore detailed habits and opinions of our primary target markets the team conducted a total of seven focus groups. The focus groups took place at the UIC Innovation Center and University Hall, both located on Harrison Street. Another focus group was done in Lemont, IL at the MB Financial Bank. The days chosen were Saturday, March 13th from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM for the Innovation Center
82%
18%
Driver and Seat Belt
Usage
yes
no67%
33%
Passenger and Seat
Belt Usage
yes
no
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and Sunday, March 14th from 12:00 PM -‐ 2 PM for University Hall; the last focus group took place on Sunday, March 21st from 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM in Lemont, IL. Participants included the primary target segments. The differing segments were each separated into their focus groups i.e. parent focus group and Tween focus group. Bagels and coffee were provided for the Innovation Center and UH focus groups and Doughnuts and coffee were provided for the Lemont focus group. Pizza and pop were provided at every focus group.
The Tween focus groups were concentrated on situations in which Tweens do not wear seat belts. The moderator inquired on modes of transportation and Tween-‐parent seat belt awareness and education. Questions pertained to Tweens who do not buckle up and what would get them to wear their seat belts. Other questions related to Tweens riding in the car with friends. The parent or influencer focus groups concentrated on struggles and decisions for buckling up their Tweens. The moderator inquired on parental importance of buckling up and strategies they have used to overcome Tween resistance.
Population Sampling units reflected the projected target market, i.e. Tweens ages 8-‐12, parents and or caregivers of Tweens, and other influencers of all ages (18 and over). Demographic analysis was conducted post-‐active research. The selection process consisted mainly of our friends and family, informing them of our needs, and asking for participation. We also passed out fliers to try to get other participants not known to us to partake in the study. Incentives were offered as mentioned above. Tweens were asked to participate alongside a parent or influencer. Limitations of the selection process included locations and transportation liability, in addition to participant agreeableness.
Collection Process Data was collected through facilitator notes and focus group videos. In the Innovation Center, team members watched and took notes opposite a single sided mirror. At the UH and Lemont focus groups, team members took notes during the session while sitting in the same room.
Method of Analysis Data analysis included revision of focus group videos and notes. Specific quotes from participants in addition to precisely answered questions were summarized and noted. The data provided assisted in improving the familiarity of the target segments.
Results Descriptive Analysis
Reasons for wearing seat belt Participants told us they always wear their seat belt because it became a habit to do so. The motivation behind wearing a seat belt is in precaution to an accident that may occur. According to one participant, she would “wear [her] seat belt all the time if I got paid.” Other reasons include annoyance from the alarm that goes off in the vehicle if the seat belt is not in use, or the seat belt is automatic when closing the door.
From all these responses, we concluded that parents or guardians should have more involvement in educating their Tweens to wear their seat belt since these Tweens look up to their parents. It is startling to learn an accident is the motivation for some kids to use seat belts every time. It is reported that
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parents do not tell their Tweens to wear their seat belts as much compared to when they were younger and parents do not watch them if they have their seat belts on. Parents trust them to put it on their own since they are old enough.
When asked what they would do when a friend is not wearing their seat belt, only a few Tweens would advise their friend to do so. Most Tweens answered they would not do anything because they do not pay attention. All Tweens assume that there is no improper way to wearing a seat belt; they think it is okay as long as they click it on even if it is under their arms or behind their backs. When asked if he knows the proper way of wearing seat belts, one individual questioned, “is there an improper way of wearing a seat belt?”
The Tweens have been taught by police, parents, and grandparents to wear seat belts to prevent injuries in the case an accident occurs. They have been told “if you don’t wear your seat belt, you will end up in the hospital” or they can get injured or even die. The Tweens know that seat belts keep an individual in place when the car stops immediately. It was good to know that Tweens were aware of various seat belt laws and campaigns, particularly the Click It Or Ticket It campaign. Participants also knew about other laws regarding seat belt laws and the rules and regulations concerning where to sit in the car depending on the height of the person. Finally, when asked whose opinion Tweens value the most, as predicted, most answered either their mom or dad or any close relatives. This shows that family play a big factor in how Tweens interact in their everyday lives.
Parents For the parents’ focus group, we wanted to determine their roles in whether or not their children wear their seat belts, and to find out more information about whom and what influences this age group to wear or not wear seat belts.
According to the group of parents, a small population said they never wear their seat belts in cars; unexpectedly, one of them is a male police officer. It was intriguing to find that they would only wear their seat belts in bad weather conditions, such as rain or snow, but not wear it if it is good weather. Seat belts being “uncomfortable and too restricted” also prompted them to not consider putting it on. One individual said that a past vehicle that he owned did not have a seat belt, he just got used to not wearing seat belts when riding in a vehicle. Similar to the Tweens’ answers, about half of the parents sometimes wear their seat belt and the other half said they would always wear seat belts. For those who sometimes wear their seat belt, it is due to absent-‐mindedness and not anything intentional.
What influences adults to wear seat belts All of the adults said safety is the primary reason why they wear their seat belts, with one parent saying “I don’t want to leave my son without a mother.” Other answers included the beeping noise the car makes if the seat belt is not on or not wanting a ticket. Also, wearing a seat belt is just another force of habit for most adults to avoid injury or death in case of an accident. In certain situation, most adults feel as if wearing a seat belt is not the utmost important thing because sometimes seat belts “restrict you more than it saves you.”
The law of wearing seat belts The majority of parents are very aware of the seat belt law, especially the “Click-‐It-‐Or-‐Ticket” law that is made apparent through advertising. Some are unclear about what exactly is the seat belt law and end up going with their own beliefs and that is what they teach their children.
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Sitting in the car Most parents think the safest seat in the car for passengers is the seat right behind the driver “so you can see them through the rearview mirror.” Most parents let their kids choose wherever they want to sit in the car because they do not think seating matters. Some parents are very specific about where their children sit in the car, depending on the height and weight of the child. Other parents say that the child can sit in the front seat “when the seat belt fits properly.” One parent said that she listens to whatever their pediatrician says about where their child should sit in the car. Since parents have higher authority, all of their kids listen to them when asked to wear seat belts. There seem to be no problems wearing seat belts, but if problems were to occur, they would check to see if their children are wearing seat belts, and remind them to if they are not. It is assumed that children are very obedient; however, when the Tweens were asked about problems wearing seat belts, they made it clear that wearing seat belts is their choice and sometimes they do not wear seat belts. The kids stated that parents do not watch them to see if they are wearing seat belt.
If parents see that their Tweens are not wearing seat belts, they would not start the car unless they put it on. They also make the Tweens aware that they will get a ticket if no seat belts are worn. Parents teach their kids about seat belt usage at a young age to tell them that it is required to put it on; however, some parents are okay with their children not wearing seat belts when sitting in the back seat. Parents assume that their child know how to put on the seat belt correctly because they are not aware that there is an incorrect way to wear it.
Information about seat belt Parents obtain their information about seat belt usage from school, magazine, or the Internet. While explaining the dangers of not wearing seat belt, one parent said that “Princess Diana died because she was not wearing seat belt.” In addition, they also use their past experiences to emphasize the important of seat belt usage; however, parents let their children decide weather or not to wear seat belts when they get older because it will be their choice. When asked why some parents think other parents let their Tweens get away with not wearing seat belts, most answered that there is a lack of concern and total negligence.
Limitations and Caveats Potential Errors As for conducting the focus groups, it was difficult finding both Tweens and parents of Tweens, given that our target market is between 8 and 12 years old. We found it difficult to establish a time that is contingent with everyone’s schedule including NHTSA group members and participants. Many participants that were willing to participate had other obligations that conflicted with the timing. Also, the focus groups had to be conducted on campus; consequently many people had a hard time getting to our location. Other big issues included finding parking for participants, finding a place to conduct the focus groups, and finding cameras to record the sessions. In order to get participants to come to the focus groups, we had to lure them in with incentives such as pizza, pop, doughnuts, coffee, and bagels which were difficult to obtain while staying within our budget.
In our analysis, many of the questions were very subjective; therefore we cannot assume that all questions were answered from an honest perspective. Many answers were very contradicting and we assume that the participants, especially the parents, altered their answers in their favor.
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Possible Improvements With 18 members setting up the focus group process, we had a lack of communication between members in some instances and the process could have been faster had we communicated more efficiently with each other. After each focus group session, we were not as prepared to raffle off our prizes because we did not give enough time to put everyone’s name in the drawing. Other preparations that needed improvements were getting the food for the focus group because we had to take into account of how many people were going to show up without going over our budget, and there were a few miscommunications regarding where the focus groups were going to take place.
Methodology for Qualitative: In-‐Depth Interview Research Design In addition to focus groups, we also set up in-‐depth interviews in order to have more specific results for our research. We conducted two in-‐depth interviews overall, with one interview consisting of two girls face-‐to-‐face and the second one with three girls via Skype. During the interview, one team member asked questions and one recorded the interview with a video recorder. The same question sets that were used for the focus groups were used for these interviews.
Results Descriptive Analysis The results of the in-‐depth interviews are very similar to those of the focus groups. When asked how often they wear seat belts while sitting in the car, they said they would always wear it if they sat in the front and they would sometimes wear it if they sat in the back. One interesting finding was that one of the girls said she avoids wearing seat belts sometimes because she wanted “to look cool” like her friends. This shows that the reason some kids avoid wearing seat belts could possibly be because they want to fit in along with their peers, which makes sense considering Tweens are among the primary group that are the most peer pressured.
Reasons for wearing seat belts The main reason why these girls wear their seat belt is for safety, and it is apparent that they wear seat belts when sitting in the front seat because they think it is easier to get hurt in the front seat. An interesting remark was when a Tween mentioned she does not wear her seat belt when riding in a car for a short period of time because “five minutes is not long enough for an accident” to occur. That is the general reason for Tweens who do not wear their seat belts when riding in a car for a short period of time. Another reason is when parents or guardians tell them to wear seat belt, they would do it without arguing. One girl even pointed out that her parents remind her constantly to wear seat belt.
Influencers Comparable to our focus group results, every Tween in the in-‐depth interview said that their parents influence them the most concerning seat belt usage. One Tween said that between her mother and father, she values her father’s opinion more because they are much closer and she spends more time with him.
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Limitations and Caveats Potential Errors The biggest problem with one of the in-‐depth interview was that the parent was present during her kids’ interview and she would sometimes answer for them. This might have negatively impacted the results because the answers were not directly from the kids’ standpoint. Another big problem was the technical difficulties of conducting the interview through Skype, such as the internet freezing a few times, and it was difficult to hear one another. Finding a convenient time to set up the interview was also a problem because of everyone’s busy schedule.
Possible Improvements If we could have done the interview in person, we would have separated the parents from the kids so they are free to answer the questions and avoid any technical issues. We found that many answers were repetitive with what the Tweens said during the focus groups so if we would have asked different questions, it would not have been so redundant.
Conclusions Observational Study From the results we obtained, most of the Tweens who sat in the back seat without seat belts and those who sit in the front seat, most of them do wear seat belts. It could be that they believe sitting in the front seat put them more at risk in case of an accident. Unfortunately, not all of the data collected specified where the Tweens sat so it was difficult to determine if Tweens do wear seat belts depending where they sit. There were no correlations between the type of vehicle and if Tweens wear seat belts. The only one noticed was that if the drivers were wearing their seat belts, the Tweens were also wearing their seat belts.
Focus Groups and In-‐Depth Interviews After analyzing our researched data, we noticed the results from both the focus groups and in-‐depth interviews were very similar as mentioned before. Tweens’ biggest influence factor would be experiences. For example, we asked Tweens what would be a prime factor for them to wear seat belts and the majority of them answered that if they were ever to be in a car accident, they would be more inclined to wear seat belts every time. The main difference was that the Tweens’ answers were more direct and descriptive because it was more one-‐on-‐one and they are able to be more expressive. Compare to the focus group findings, the in-‐depth interview participants stated that they are more likely to not wear seat belts during very short trips or very longs trips. Aside from parents influencing them to wear seat belts, these Tweens also take into account their peers’ opinion on seat belt usage. We found that Tweens do understand the importance of seat belt usage because all of the Tweens either wear their seat belts all of the time or at least some of the times. It seems that in the event that there happen to be a short trip or a very long trip, the Tweens are less apt to wearing their seat belts. For the short trips, it is a belief that nothing is going to happen when sitting in the car for five minutes. For the long trips, Tweens prefer to be more comfortable rather than being strapped in the seat belts.
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Recommendations Some recommendations that would promote seat belt usage would be using people that Tweens idolize such as parents or celebrities. If parents talk to their kids more about wearing seat belts, they would be exposed to the message at an early age and more likely to remember it as they grow older. Also, using celebrities to send out messages about wearing seat belts would influence Tweens greatly. When interviewing the parents, most of them were unaware of seat belt laws such as the requirements for kids to sit in the front seat, when to take the booster seat out, or what the consequences are if someone is caught not wearing seat belts. Many parents just use what they know to teach their kids without doing any research. If NHTSA can spread awareness about seat belt laws more so parents are able to understand clearly what the laws are, more people would wear their seat belts.
Methodology for Quantitative Research Design We began our research problem by closely examining the resources that NHTSA has provided for us to determine the precise objectives that would define our survey development. The main objectives we ascertained for our research was first, to provide insight on Tween perceptions and beliefs on seat belts and seat belt usage, and second, to determine who and what the primary influencers were for Tweens in regards to seat belt usage. A series of questions were provided by NHTSA for us, to use verbatim, in two surveys, one for the Tweens and one for their parents. We developed the additional questions around our two primary objectives, using GoogleDocs as a medium to better communicate within the group while developing the questions. Once the surveys were finalized, we uploaded them onto Qualtrics. Due to legality issues (as our target group included minors), our group had decided to send out copies of the consent letters with the parent surveys first, having teachers hand them out to their students to bring home and return to school after a few days. Group members also sent out the link to the Qualtrics survey via email and social networking, targeting parents with children in the age range of 8 and 12 years old.
The purpose of our research was developed to answer two primary objectives: first to determine the opinions of the Tween population about seat belts, and seat belt safety and usage. The second objective, which our research hoped to gain insight on, was exactly who and what were the influencers on Tweens on the subject of seat belts and seat belt usage. More specifically, we wanted to see what actions by parents have the most influence on Tweens to get them to buckle up. We also were asking a series of questions attempting to identify who the key influencers are for Tweens and their use of seat belts when in the car.
Population For our research, our primary population being studied is the NHTSA-‐labeled ‘Tween population’ – children within the age range of 8 and 12 years old. The secondary population our research focused on is the parents of our ‘Tween population’. Our sampling objective was to survey a minimum of 200 parents and 50 Tweens (as directed by the NHTSA board). We began our sampling process by compiling a list of schools and school administrators which group members had access to, and creating a list of contact information for these elementary and middle
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schools. Because the majority of our contact schools are located in the suburbs of Chicago, we also are researching several schools located within the Chicago city limits to contact as well. We wanted to represent Tweens both in the urban and suburban areas, as there are decidedly different transportation patterns for each group. Due to legal requirements, we were unable to distribute surveys to any school, public or private. However, each group member was able to obtain between five and ten parent surveys and five Tween surveys; each survey was distributed to and filled out by parents, guardians, or influencers of Tweens. The distribution channel was either Qualtrics or physical paper forms. In addition, one member contacted the Galileo Scholastic Academy of Math and Science, which is a middle school just west of the Chicago Loop. Our member was able to distribute about 20 Tween surveys at this school.
Collection Process Survey distribution was handled through two channels – the main dispersal of the survey was done through 18 team members. Each member gathered at least ten parent surveys and approximately five and ten Tween surveys. Physical copies of the parent surveys, along with the consent forms, were distributed at the beginning of the spring recess, and both English and Spanish forms were provided when necessary. One week later, after the surveys were completely filled out by participating subjects, both the Tween and parent surveys were collected along with the consent forms. The second channel of distribution for our surveys dealt primarily with our parent surveys – the parent form was uploaded onto Qualtrics, and distributed via email and social networking groups by team members. This second wave of distribution was directed at individual parents and parent groups whom our NHTSA group members have previous contact with. This wave was seen as a supplement aimed at boosting our collection of parent surveys.
Method of Analysis The results from the paper copies of both the Tween and parent surveys were entered by group members into the Qualtrics system (to keep an electronic record). Once all surveys were entered, we used the Qualtrics software to create an SPSS file for statistical analysis. The main SPSS tools we used are the frequency and distribution analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis to determine applicability of the sample and relationships between the survey variables. We used the correlation analysis and regression modeling to determine the significance and causality relationships between survey variables.
Results Demographic Data
Tween Demographic Data A slightly larger percentage (53.1% versus 46.9%) of survey respondents identified themselves as ‘boys’ (instead of identifying as ‘girls’). The range of school grades was relatively uniformly distributed across the sample, however there were two larger groups of respondents centered around 3rd and 6th grade survey takers.
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The majority of Tween survey respondents marked they wear their seat belts every single time they ride in a moving vehicle (62.1% of valid respondents), and an overwhelming majority of Tween respondents (84.8%) claimed to wear their seat belts at least ‘most of the time’ when riding in a moving vehicle.
Tweens generally report sitting in the backseat of the vehicle they ride in (68.8%), however a significant proportion answered that they do sit in the front seat (26.6%), which may be linked with a larger cluster of respondents who are on the older end of the Tween ages spectrum (61.5% reported being ten years old or older). Older children tend to be taller and weigh more, thus face less risk of injury in the front seat than a younger/smaller individual in the event of an accident. Although the majority of participants reported that they wear their seat belt “always, every single time” in response to the general seat belt usage question at the beginning of the question, when asked last if they used their seat belt when riding in the car for less than five minutes vs. more than five minutes, Tweens reported more variable seat belt usage.
53%47%
Gender
Boy
Girl
15%
23%
14%11%
37%
Age
8 Years Old
9 Years Old
10 Years Old
11 Years Old
12 Years Old
62%23%
14%
1%
Tween Seat Belt Usage
Every Single Time
Most of the Time
Some of the Time
Not Very Often
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Nearly the entire sample reported that they never use a booster seat while riding in a vehicle (76.6%), and this may correspond with the data trending towards higher aged respondents. In terms of seat belt placement, the majority of Tweens reported wearing their seat belt in the proper fashion, with the seat belt across their chest and lap (85.9%). Although some participants did report wearing them inappropriately, with the strap either under their arm or behind their back (11% of responses). This may be explained in part with respondents’ perceptions of comfort (or discomfort) when wearing a seat belt in a vehicle without a booster seat (which, also shown by survey data, the mass majority of Tweens ride in a vehicle without a booster seat). The distribution of reported comfort is widely varied, although more concentrated on the ‘comfortable’ end of the spectrum.
42.40%
16.70%21.20%
13.60%6.10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Always, every single time
Most of the time Some of the time Not very often Never
Seat Belt Usage when Riding in the Vehicle for
Less than Five Minutes
67.7%
21.5% 4.6% 4.6% 1.5%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%
Always, every single time
Most of the time Some of the time Not very often Never
Seat Belt Usage when Riding in the Vehicle for
More than Five Minutes
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To get more detail on exactly what made using a seat belt comfortable or uncomfortable, we asked Tween participants to specify why using a seat belt in a vehicle was or was not comfortable.
So although the majority of responses (42 out of the 74 responses) did highlight comfort leading from proper seat belt usage, the next two highest response categories included improper seat belt usage and discomfort resulting from incorrect seat belt and seat proportions for Tweens. This data can be further explored by South Loop Solutions, and used in their campaign, potentially to develop more comfortable seat belts for children, especially in light of the fact that most Tweens do not wear booster seats.
30.00%
41.70%
21.70%
6.70%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
Very Comfortable Somewhat Comfortable Somewhat Uncomfortable
Very Uncomfortable
Comfort Level Reported while Wearing a Seat
Belt
42
10 11
2 2 70
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Comfortable Across Chest and Lap
Comfortable because Strap is Behind Back or
Arm
Uncomfortable because Strap Rubs against
Neck
Uncomfortable because Belt is Across Stomach
Does not Sit in Vehicle without Booster Seat
Unsure
Number of Responses
Reasons behind Comfort/Discomfort
Variables Behind Seat Belt Comfort
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Our survey also attempted to understand who influences Tween behavior. The survey results found that overwhelmingly, parents have the largest impact on Tweens in general, although siblings also had a significant influence.
Since it appeared that parents and guardians played the strongest impact on Tweens’ decision making in general, our research targeted specific parent actions to see which specifically played a large role in Tween seat belt usage. A large proportion of Tweens reported that their parents wear their seat belt in the car every time they operate or sit in a moving vehicle (76.9%), a surprisingly lower percentage than Tween self-‐reported usage (62.1%). This could be indicative of parents not checking or following up on their Tweens wearing seat belts in their cars, and especially their Tweens’ seat belt usage when they are sitting in other vehicles (i.e. a friend’s car).
Another important parent behavior we wished to observe was whether or not parents watched their children buckle up before starting the car. The results were well distributed across categories, which was especially interesting in light of the parents’ self-‐reported behaviors.
58.10%
14.50%8.10% 8.10%
1.60% 3.20% 6.50%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Parents Siblings Teachers Friends Grandparents Television None of the Above
Influencers
77.0%
13.8%4.6% 3.1% 1.5%
Parent/Guardian Seat Belt Usage
Always, every single time
Most of the time
Some of the time
Never
Don't Know
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Parent Demographic Data For our parent/guardian survey respondents, a larger percentage was female (58%) compared male (42%). Ethnicity had a concentrated distribution, with the largest percentage of survey respondents being Caucasian (64.3%).
Parent self-‐reported seat belt usage closely mirrored what Tweens reported in their survey data, with the majority of parents reporting they wear their seat belt every single time they ride in a vehicle.
30.20%
15.90% 15.90%22.20%
15.90%
0%5%
10%15%20%25%30%35%
Always, every single time
Most of the time Some of the time Not very often Never
Parents Observing Tween Buckle Up Before
Starting the Vehicle
55%
45%
Gender
Male Female4%
13%
18%64%
1%
Ethnic Background
African American
Asian
Hispanic or Latino
Caucasian
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Our research attempted to uncover several behaviors which parents were or were not engaging in while in the vehicle with their Tweens. The mass majority of parents did report encouraging their children to buckle up every single time they were in the vehicle with them (79.6%).
We also wanted to uncover the methods which parents employed when checking to see if their child was buckled up in the vehicle with them – especially those which would be most effective in ensuring that Tweens were properly buckled into their seats before starting the vehicle. The majority of parents asked their Tweens if they were buckled up (79% of all valid responses), with 55.1% of parents actually visually checking to see if their child(ren) has indeed buckled up. A smaller proportion of parents physically buckled their Tweens in themselves (14.6%), which we ascertained to be more helpful when the Tween in question was at the younger end of the age spectrum. The survey also asked where Tweens generally sat in the vehicle when riding with their parents, as certain areas of the vehicle tend to be safer for younger individuals (with lower body weights and shorter heights). The majority of parents tell their Tweens to sit in the backseat, on the left or right sides (not in the middle), which is generally agreed up to be the safest areas of the car for children in the event of a car accident.
73.5%
18.8%
4.3% 2.4% 1.0%
Parent Self-‐Reported Seat Belt Usage
Always, every single time
Most of the time
Some of the time
Not very often
Never
80%
8%8% 3% 1%
Parents Encouraging their Tween to Buckle Up
while in the Vehicle
Always, every single time
Most of the time
Some of the time
Not very often
Never
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Outside of monitoring their Tweens’ seat belt usage in the car, our surveys targeted whether or not parents explained the importance of buckling up. The majority of parents reported that they remind their children of the importance of seat belt safety frequently (32.5%) or occasionally (33.5%). We also wanted to see at what age parents believed that their children could make their own decisions about seat belt safety and buckling up, which would generally indicate when they would stop reminding their children of the need to buckle up when sitting in or operating a moving vehicle. Surprisingly, the majority of parents (51.2%) felt that their children could make their own decisions about seat belt safety at 18 years or older, even though the legal driving age in Illinois is 16 years old to hold a license.
21.1%
65.2%
6.4% 5.4% 2.0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Front Passenger Seat
Backseat on the Left or Right Sides
Backseat in the Middle
Far Back Seats (SUV or Minivan)
Other
Tweens' Location in the Vehicle
3.00%14.80% 15.30% 15.80%
51.20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
5 years and younger 6 to 10 years old 11 to 15 years old 16 to 18 years old 18 years and older
Age at Which Parents Think their Tween can
Make their Own Decision on Seat Belt Safety
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Correlation Analysis Results For further understanding of Tweens and their use of seat belts, we ran more tests on SPSS. We wanted to know the significance between certain variables, so we put variables together to understand if there truly are significant relationships between them. In running these tests, we found that there were positive relationships between the variables. The next two correlation charts below are tests that showed the importance of the parents and influencers.
The first correlation result chart shows there is significance between how often a person wears their seat belt and if that person also encourages their children to wear seat belts while riding in the car with them. This is important to our research because the impact that parents and other influencers have on their Tweens about seat belt usage can lead to the Tweens being more aware about their safety in vehicles.
Correlations
How often do
you wear your
seat belt?
Do you encourage your
child(ren) to wear seat belts
when riding in the car with
you?
How often do you wear your
seat belt?
Pearson Correlation 1 .554**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 207 206
Do you encourage your
child(ren) to wear seat belts
when riding in the car with
you?
Pearson Correlation .554** 1
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 206 206
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
The second correlation result chart shows there is also significance between how often someone wears their seat belt and whether or not they let their children ride in the vehicle without wearing their seat belt. Again, we can see that parents and influencers have a great impact on Tweens and their lifestyles.
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Correlations
Do you let your
child(ren) ride in
the car without
wearing a seat
belt?
How often do you wear your seat
belt?
Do you let your child(ren)
ride in the car without
wearing a seat belt?
Pearson Correlation 1 .453**
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 204 204
How often do you wear your
seat belt?
Pearson Correlation .453** 1
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 204 207
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
With these tests in mind, we understand that parents and influencers who do wear their seat belts will have a positive impact on the Tweens and show them the importance of wearing seat belts whenever in a vehicle.
Regression Analysis Results
Parent Tween Regression As part of our research, we wanted to find out the factors of whether parents allow their children to ride in the car without a seat belt, and if so, how often. We used regression analysis to help determine what variables are good predictors of this. We chose to run a multiple regression analysis to help explain, predict, and control a dependent variable using several independent variables. In our Tween parent survey, one of our questions was “Do you let your child(ren) ride in the car without wearing a set belt?” with options being “never, very rarely, some of the time, most of the time, and I do not require my child to wear seat belt in the car.” We chose this question to be our dependent variable for our regression analysis.
We felt that parents allowing their children to ride in the car without a seat belt can be predicted by several independent variables. Where the child sits in the car and at what age the parent feels the child can make their own seat belt usage decisions are two of those variables. We explain our reasoning because if a parent feels that a child can make their decisions at a younger age, then they are more likely to not stress the importance of seat belt safety. In contrast, if a child sits in the front seat, parents may require them to wear seat belts more often because they can see the child better, as opposed to the child sitting in the back seat. If a parent has explained the importance of seat belt safety to their
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child, they are more likely to always require their child to wear a seat belt; this was our third tested variable. Our last variable was whether parents agreed or disagreed that they find it difficult to convey the importance of seat belt safety to their child. We believe this is a good predictor because if they find it difficult to convey the importance of seat belt safety then they might have difficulty having their child wear a seat belt at all times. We did our testing using SPSS software and have concluded with the following results.
Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate
1 .369a .136 .118 .710
a. Predictors: (Constant), Where do/does your child(ren) usually sit when in the car?, Do you explain to your tween the importance of seat belt safety and how seat belts save their lif…., to what extent do you agree with the following statement: “I find it difficult to convey the importa…., At what age do you believe your child(ren) can make their own decisions about using seat belts when…
ANOVAb
Model Sum of Squares
df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression 15.327 4 3.832 7.599 .000a
Residual 97.320 193 .504
Total 112.646 197
a. Predictors: (Constant), Where do/does your child(ren) usually sit when in the car?, Do you explain to your Tween the importance of seat belt safety and how seat belts can save their life? To what extent do you agree with the following statement: "I find it difficult to convey the importance of seat belt safety and how seat belts can save their lives? At what age do you believe your child(ren) can make their own decisions about using seat belts about using seat belts when in the car? b. Dependent Variable: Do you let your child(ren) ride in the car without wearing a seat belt?
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Coefficientsa
Model Unstandardized Coefficients
Standardized Coefficients
t Sig. Collinearity Statistic
B Std. Error Beta Tolerance VIF
1 (Constant) 1.730 .287 6.023 .000
To what extent do you agree with the following statement: "I find it difficult to convey the importa...
-.067 .042 -.113 -1.601 .111 .900 1.112
Do you explain to your Tween the importance of seat belt safety and how seat belts can save their li...
.180 .050 .247 3.607 .000 .951 1.051
At what age do you believe your child(ren) can make their own decisions about using seat belts when...
-.122 .044 -.198 -2.787 .006 .886 1.129
Where do/does your child(ren) usually sit when in the car?
.000 .062 .000 .003 .997 .987 1.013
Our model indicates that the four predictors account for 13.6% of the variation in our dependent and that there is close to no linear relationship between our independent and dependent variable. With the standard error of the estimate being .710, we are disappointed to find out it is not as precise as we would have hoped for. Although our ANOVA testing showed significance, the coefficients chart shows only our second independent variable is a predictor with a significance of .000. The variable of whether parents explain the importance of seat belt safety to their children was found to be the only predictor of parents allowing their children to ride in the car without a seat belt.
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From our results, we can conclude if parents are to emphasize the importance of seat belt safety, it will lead to stronger usage among Tweens. We can predict that when parents are stressing the importance of seat belt safety to their Tweens, then those parents are the ones not allowing their children to ride in a vehicle without being buckled up. These parents are the positive reinforcement that will hopefully encourage Tweens to make the decision on their own to wear seat belts regularly. Therefore, we determine it is the parents’ responsibility to educate and enforce seat belt usage instead of assuming their Tween can make decisions on their own.
Tween Regression An important question we wanted to answer was not only if Tweens buckle up but also why they do or do not. To do this, we ran a multiple regression analysis using two independent variables in hopes of finding a predictor for our dependent variable. In our Tween survey, we asked “do you wear your seat belt when you ride in this vehicle?” with responses including “always, every single time, most of the time, some of the time, not very often, and never.” We chose this for our dependent variable in order to find an answer to our question which we hoped to find a predictor for. Our two independent variables are whether parents buckle up or whether the parents watch to make sure the Tween buckles up. We feel these are appropriate variables to test because we see these as being potential factors to Tween seat belt usage. After running the test, we analyzed the data with the following results.
Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate
1 .527a .278 .254 .656
a. Predictors: (Constant), Do your parents wear their seat belts when they are driving in the car?, Do your parents/guardians watch you buckle your seat belt before starting the car?
ANOVAb
Model Sum of Squares
df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression 9.946 2 4.973 11.565 .000a
Residual 25.800 60 .430
Total 35.746 62
a. Predictors: (Constant), Do your parents wear their seat belts when they are driving in the car?, Do your parents/guardians watch you buckle your seat belt before starting the car?
b. Dependent Variable: Do you wear your seat belt when you ride in this vehicle? (Please mark only one answer)
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Coefficientsa
Model Unstandardized Coefficients
Standardized Coefficients
t Sig. Collinearity Statistic
B Std. Error Beta Tolerance VIF
1 (Constant) .758 .193 3.927 .000
Do your parents/guardians watch you buckle your seat belt before starting the car?
.102 .058 .199 1.753 .085 .929 1.076
Do your parents wear their seat belts when they are driving in the car?
.323 .084 .438 3.850 .000 .929 1.076
Our model indicates that the two predictors account for 27.8% of the variation in our dependent and that the linear relationship is weak. Our standard error of the estimate calculated to be .656, which means our confidence interval is not as precise as we would have liked. Our F-‐value indicates that our equation is significantly better than chance, although our R Square resulted low. The F-‐value is used to decide whether the model is statistically significant and the R Square provides a measure of how well future outcomes are likely to be predicted by this model. Because we have a significance of .000 in our second variable, we reject the null hypothesis that the independent variables are not related to the dependent variable.
According to the provided information, whether the parents or guardians of the Tweens wear seat belts is a good predictor of whether or not a Tween will wear a seat belt in the car. We can conclude that if a parent or guardian does not wear their seat belt, a Tween is less likely to wear theirs as well. What this means for our research is that the driver has an influence on the Tween passenger and that should be something addressed in the campaign.
Another regression test we ran was between the questions regarding Tweens and if they wear their seat belts properly and whether or not the positioning of the seat belt they wear is comfortable to them. This is an appropriate dependent and independent variable because if Tweens found the seat belt to be uncomfortable, they are more likely to not wear it. We then analyzed the results with the following conclusion.
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Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate
1 .214a .046 .030 .638
a. Predictors: (Constant), How do you feel when you are wearing a seat belt?
ANOVAb
Model Sum of Squares
df Mean Square F Sig.
1 Regression 1.137 1 1.137 2.796 .100a
Residual 23.596 58 .407
Total 24.733 59
a. Predictors: (Constant), How do you feel when you are wearing a seat belt?
b. Dependent Variable: How do you wear a seat belt when in the car?
Our test indicates that the predictors account for a mere 4.6% of the variation in our dependent and that there is none linear relationship between our independent and dependent variable. Our ANOVA output showed a significance of .100, which is greater than the .05 we use to continue. This means that there is no significance between our variables and there is no need to continue with the test.
Limitations and Caveats
Due to organizational difficulties, we began our project several weeks behind according to the projected timeline. This setback caused all of our timelines to be pushed back, and the distribution and collection of the quantitative research group’s surveys was significantly hindered. Also in light of stringent Institutional Review Board (IRB) forms which were required to be filled out and approved by the University in order to distribute surveys to minors in the elementary and middle schools Chicago education system. Coupled with our difficulty in attaining IRB approval from the University for our research, all of the public schools we had begun contacting were in the process of state testing and state surveying. Therefore, many of the administrators were unable to accommodate us because they were extremely busy preparing students by administrating and collecting the IGAP and ISAT tests. Because we are a student research group at the University of Illinois at Chicago, we were also limited in our ability to create a representative sample for the research. Generally, we were only able to distribute parent and Tween surveys with a geographic area around Chicago, as we did not have
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national resources in obtaining sampling data from across the United States. This significantly limited the extrapolation of our data to the population of Tweens and influencers in the entire United States, as there may be strong geographic differences in seat belt perceptions and behaviors across regions of the country. We did attempt to distribute surveys to both urban (city) and suburban target groups, in an attempt to create a more representative sample. In the survey creation, there were some wording and recording issues with specific questions, especially those that were open-‐ended (allowed respondents to write in what they thought the most accurate answer was). However, we were able to recode most open-‐ended responses using SPSS and Qualtrics, and actually have better control of variable definition (for example, leaving respondents the ability to write in the zip code they lived in instead of asking them if they lived in an urban, suburban, or rural area allowed us to control the criteria for what we would denote as ‘urban’ or ‘suburban’). As in most survey distribution, we did have some non-‐response error, with some participants neglecting to answer all survey questions. Fortunately, the SPSS program took non-‐response of individual questions into account and created ‘valid’ percentages for all data (accounting for those surveys where participants did not fully answer all questions). There was also the possibility of respondent intentional error or bias, because the subject matter (especially for parents) reflected on safety habits regarding their children and themselves (which can be an emotionally charged subject for disclosure). We attempted to control for this type of error as much as possible by reassuring participants that their surveys would remain completely anonymous and were being used strictly for research purposes. We also wrote several questions for the parent survey attempting to remove ‘blame’ – including questions targeting parents’ belief on the difficulty on transmitting the importance of seat belt safety to their Tweens. We also recorded both Tween and parent responses on overall seat belt usage and seat belt usage for short (less than five minutes) and longer (more than five minutes) car rides. When comparing data from overall seat belt usage to more specific criteria, we did notice some discrepancies between reported answers (approximately 62% of Tweens reported wearing their seat belt ALWAYS, every single time they rode in a vehicle, however only 42.4% reported wearing their seat belt when riding in the car for less than five minutes). This indicates that there is some level of respondent bias in the data.
Conclusions Frequency/Descriptive Analysis
Upon reviewing the survey results for both parents and Tweens, our group has devised several conclusions regarding the frequency and descriptive analysis. Both the Tween and parent respondents had a neutral gender distribution. In regards to age, 12 year olds accounted for over 1/3 of the sample data. When Tweens were asked about general seat belt usage, 85% of the respondents admitted to wearing their seat belt at least “most of the time.” During trips of more than five minutes, 2/3 of Tweens claimed they always wear their seat belts. Trips consisting of less than five minutes had a greater variance of how often Tweens actually used their seat belts regularly. Regarding Tweens’
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location while riding in a vehicle, nearly 2/3 of the respondents said they sit on either the left or right hand side of the back seat. The remaining Tweens said they sit in the front seat, which may be explained by our amount of 12 year old participants. Our group also concluded that over half of the Tween respondents declared that their parents were major influencers in whether or not they wore their seat belts. 75% of the parents reported that they always wear their seat belts, while 80% of parent responses indicated that they encourage their children to buckle up.
Correlation Analysis In addition to the frequency and descriptive analysis, the correlation analysis provides us with a direct relation to various survey questions. One correlation that was performed was between the usage of seat belts and whether parents encouraged their children to buckle up. There was a strong relationship among these two variables, implying that parents are a major influencer of their children’s actions. Another significant correlation was between the type of vehicle and whether the Tweens wear their seat belts over long periods of time. Depending on the comfort level of the seat belt, Tweens were either more prone to wearing or not wearing their seat belt properly. Many of the variables that we believed that would have a significant relationship with one another were not significant at all. For example, age and the knowledge of seat belt safety did not have any correlation to one another. One would assume that age would imply further knowledge of seat belts and how it could save lives, however, our analysis did not show that this was the case.
Regression Analysis The concept of regression analysis requires the use of one dependent variable followed by several independent variables. The goal is to show how the dependent variable is predicted by the other variables. For the parents, we used three separate variables that we thought would predict our dependent variable of “Do you let your children ride in the car without wearing a seatbelt?” Our findings indicated that the only predictor was whether or not the parents explained seat belt safety to their children. This regression analysis concludes that if parents were to spend the time explaining seat belt safety, then they would emphasize seat belt usage and ensure that their Tweens buckled up on a regular basis. Regarding Tweens, our dependent variable was “Do you wear your seat belt when you ride in this vehicle?” We had two independent variables for this question, and after running a regression we can reject the null hypothesis that our independent and dependent variables are not related. This regression shows us that the parent's decision to wear their seat belt has a major impact on whether their Tween decides to buckle up as well. One last regression test that we conducted was between how Tweens wore their seat belt in relation to the comfort associated with the seat belt. The results indicated that the independent and dependent variables were not significant. This led us to cease analysis on the remaining variables.
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Recommendations After analyzing all of the data that was collected, we have a couple of different recommendations for NHTSA and their ongoing campaign to enforce seat belt usage for Tweens. One recommendation is NHTSA needs to motivate parents and influencers to understand and talk to their Tweens about the importance of seat belt safety. Through the research that we conducted, we were able to find that parents and influencers were a major impact on whether or not Tweens buckle up. Another recommendation is to create a campaign to increase awareness of seat belt safety that is geared towards the Tweens. In our analysis, 56% of Tweens have seen a TV commercial for seat belt safety and 38% have not. Within the 56% of Tweens that have seen an ad on TV, only 27% said that seeing the commercial made them want to buckle up. With that in mind, the ad campaign should encourage Tweens to buckle up regardless of how long the trip is or where they are sitting in the vehicle.
Advertising Objectives South Loop Solutions has developed, created, and organized an innovative and integrative advertising campaign through the use of traditional and nontraditional media. Based on our research, our team would guide a marketing campaign using the following objectives.
Increase awareness of seat belt safety importance for Tweens and parents Develop an integrative, creative branding campaign for seat belt safety Create a communication plan that utilizes optimal marketing mix variables incorporating
unconventional methods and tactics to effectively reach and engage the target market Create a catchy yet effective slogan that resonates with the Tween market
These objectives are the basis for the marketing decisions and direction that would be recommended by South Loop Solutions. Our strategic marketing plan would utilize creative and innovative tactics to not only meet these objectives, but to exceed them as well.
Demographics Children ages 8-‐12 (Tweens)
Parents of children ages 8-‐12
Main Slogan “Buckle Up For The Future” -‐ This slogan is short, simple, and outlines seatbelt safety importance.
Other Slogans “One Click Can Save Your Life” “Ensure Your Future” “Clicked for the Future” “Life’s a Trick – Just Click” “Car – Seatbelt = Injury” “Safety is Just a Click Away” “Encourage Seatbelts, They Save Lives!”
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Advertising Campaign The objectives of the advertising department are to utilize a variety of promotional methods, to execute an effective and creative campaign, and to develop a branding campaign that appeals to our target market. The advertisement department developed a total of 10 advertisements. These advertisements focused on the benefits of seat belt safety and concentrated on increasing seat belt usage. The advertisements were inspired by the research results and focused on reaching the target market (Tweens and their parents) while altering their perceptions and increasing the importance of seat belt safety for them.
South Loop Solutions would use several different media sources to display the advertisements. In order to receive maximum exposure, the campaign would focus on using promotional outlets that are popular among our target market. Media sources would include full size posters, postcards, and a banner prominently displayed in the schools with Tween markets. Each medium served a different purpose in the campaign process. The quantity of each medium that will be produced is as follows:
Posters: 80 Postcards: 2,000 Banner: 1
Posters, 12 x 19 inch, will be positioned throughout each elementary school inside hallways and class rooms. They will attract a substantial amount of attention due to their large size and positioning in strategic locations.
Caution signs with our tagline will be placed near elementary schools. These signs will be able to reinforce the importance of seat belt safety and encourage to Tweens put the seat belt on if they have not done so. In addition to the caution signs there will be billboards, cabs, and buses will help capture our target market as they are passengers in cars. By positioning these advertisements in high traffic areas, they will be able to generate increased exposure.
Our online marketing campaign will open up new fronts of access to our customers. The core for the online strategy is to develop an impressive website; to increase traffic for our website we will implement various search engine marketing tactics. We would also utilize banner ads on the sites frequented by the Tween market.
In addition to traditional media it would be beneficial to partner with a company such as Disney that would allow public service announcements at their amusement parks and on their movie trailers. This access would be critical to reaching the maximum exposure with the hope that major studios would be willing to offset the traditional costs associate with such a tactic.
Summary South Loop Solutions would be able to increase seat belt safety awareness by using several integrated advertising strategies. By utilizing multiple media vehicles that resonate with the Tween market and their parents, the campaign could secure an increase in usage and save lives. The results of the main advertising will not only shift perception on the use of seat belts, but also help build seatbelt safety habits through continued advertisement exposure.
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Public Relations The Public Relations Department objectives would be to create seat belt awareness, maximize exposure for our marketing campaign through a variety of media outlets, and generate awareness for the main event held near a Tween dominated event. Exposure will be gained through several press releases.
The press releases would be our primary point of contact between UIC Advertising Research and local media outlets and the school districts within the community. The first press release will be designed to introduce the media to our agency while the second press release will be focused on informing the media of our main events that would take place at several elementary schools. Our third press release, which will be sent out to our media contacts, will detail our research finding results and the importance of seat belt usage and the overall success of our campaign.
South Loop Solutions would provide our findings to a morning news program to run a short special that will outline the importance of seat belts. The news special will also describe the school events that will be happening around the area and generate significant buzz at the schools involved and also with the untapped parent market.
Summary Throughout the campaign, the Public Relations Department will strive to maximize the exposure for the main event and promote seatbelt awareness. It would do this by utilizing multiple media outlets in a very cost effective way. Because of the fact that our campaign would be providing a public service to the community, we would expect significant support within the local media. Overall the Public Relations Department would be a critical component in an integrative marketing campaign and be a solid contributor to the overall success.
Campaign Strategy The objectives of the Campaign Strategy Department would be to formulate a strategy that encompassed all the departments and their efforts in creating and implementing an innovative and comprehensive marketing campaign. In order to secure success, it would critical to coordinate each department’s objectives and goals while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The main event will occur at several select elementary schools in their gymnasium. We would invite Milton Jacobs, a seat belt safety speaker and consultant, to discuss the importance of seat belt safety. We would encourage local media to cover our event.
Members of South Loop Solutions would greet parents and their Tweens at the entrance of each of the school parking lots. Tweens that have their seat belts on will be rewarded with candy and each parent will be given a postcard that talks about seat belt safety.
Within the school, multiple tables and stations would be arranged providing additional information and advertisements of seat belt safety. They will also have raffle bowls for a grand prize of a Nintendo Wii, with the winner being announced at the end of the event. Before the event will begin, members of agency would visit select classes and give a quick preview of what the event will be about. In addition we will market the event via a public address to students.
The main event will consist of Milton Jacobs performing his presentation on seatbelt safety and the importance of being buckled up at all times while in a vehicle. At the end of the event, the winner of the raffle will be announced and presented the award.
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Summary As a result of the main event, we would successfully target Tweens and discuss the importance of seatbelts. South Loop Solutions believes that the event would successfully target both parents and Tweens. In addition, the event would be an integral part of the entire campaign as the public relations campaign and advertisement campaign work to promote the overall event. We would be hopeful that the campaign would generate a high enough return on investment to warrant a successful launch throughout the country.
Conclusion By closely following our objectives of increasing seatbelt safety awareness, developing an integrative and creative branding campaign, and creating a communication plan that utilizes optimal marketing mix, South Loop Solutions would be able to successfully reach out to our target market with multiple promotional components. These advertising proposals can and would be utilized in delivering an effective tone and message that resonates with the Tween market.
Financial Highlights
With the given $1,000 budget, we initially devised a rough draft budget to help us determine how our budget would be allocated. After all our costs occurred, we were able to establish a return on investment of 116%, meaning we more than doubled the value of the campaign. We were able to save a significant amount of our budget by utilizing volunteers, friends and family members to contribute to our primary research and focus groups. Through the aid of business contacts, we were able to acquire donations to help maximize the value of our budget.
Our campaign relied upon the work ethic of 18 team members. Upon completion of our research project we believe the value of what we have submitted far exceeds the dollar amount in the exhibit below. Our goal as a team was to go above and beyond the initial scope of the research campaign brief. We not only conducted more research than expected w also created branding materials and strategies for a future integrative marketing campaign.
The overall experience of our campaign was that together with teamwork we were able to accomplish all of the objectives set forth at the beginning of the semester. We are grateful to be all key members in this rewarding experience.
Department Estimated Cost Estimated Value Actual Cost Actual Value
Surveys $12.00 $108.00 $0.00 $108.00 Focus Groups $597.07 $972.07 $603.99 $1,601.08 Research $15.00 $23.00 $0.00 $28.72 Reporting $118.00 $118.00 $396.01 $396.01 Miscellaneous expenses $0.00 $25.00 $0.00 $25.00 Total $742.07 $1,246.07 $1,000.00 $2,158.81
Return on Investment 116%
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Surveys2%
Focus Group80%
Research2%
Reporting16%
Miscellaneous Expenses
0%
Estimated Cost
Surveys9%
Focus Group78%
Research2%
Reporting9%
Miscellaneous Expenses
2%
Estimated Value
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Surveys0%
Focus Group60%
Research0%
Reporting40%
Miscellaneous Expenses
0%
Actual Cost
Surveys5%
Focus Group74%
Research1%
Reporting19%
Miscellaneous Expenses
1%
Actual Value
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APPENDIX A Focus Group Moderator Guide: Parents
Focus Group Moderator’s Guide (Parents/Influencers)
Introduction: Hello, and thank you for joining us today. As most of you are aware, we are UIC students working on a research study with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The purpose of this project is to learn about what children between the ages of 8 and 12 (Tweens) think about seat belt use and safety, as well as how they perceive seat belt use between peers. We are asking that you be a part of this focus group to help us determine the role you as a parent/gaurdian play in whether or not your children use seat belts when you or another adult is driving. We want to find out more information about whom and what most influences this age group to wear or not wear seat belts. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children between ages 3-‐6 and 8-‐14. Determining the key influencers regarding seat belt use among this group will assist NHTSA in developing an integrated marketing communications plan to reach this key demographic and help save lives. We will put together everyone’s comments from all of the focus groups combined. This information will be summarized in a brief report. The report will not use any specific identifying information, such as your name.
Once again, we greatly appreciate your participation and ask that you be completely open and honest in your responses as we ask you the following set of questions.
1. What type of Vehicle do you drive? 2. With a show of hands, how many of you have NEVER worn your seat belts? 3. How many wear your seat belts sometimes? (Half the times) 4. How many wear your seat belts ALL the time? 5. For those of you who have never worn your seat belt, why don’t you wear it? 6. For those of you who sometime wear it, why only sometimes? 7. For those of you who do wear it, what influences you to buckle up? 8. Why do you think it is important to wear a seat belt? 9. With a show of hands, who knows about the law of wearing your seat belt in Illinois? 10. How do you determine when your child is ready to ride without a booster seat? 11. Where does your Tween usually sit when in the car? Why? 12. How do you determine when your child is ready to ride in the front seat? 13. What problems have you encountered getting your Tween to wear their seat belt?
How was it resolved? 14. For those of you who successfully got your Tween to buckle up, how was it accomplished? 15. What strategies do you use to have your Tween comply with wearing their seat belt? 16. How often do you encourage your child (ren) to wear seat belts when riding in the car with you? 17. How often do you let your Tween ride in the car without wearing a seat belt? 18. How often do you watch to make sure that your Tween effectively buckle up BEFORE putting
the car in motion? 19. How often do you watch to make sure that your Tween effectively buckle up AFTER putting the
car in motion?
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20. How often do you check to make sure that your Tween is wearing his/her seat belt CORRECTLY (with the strap securely across their chest and lap) before putting the car in motion?
21. From where do you get your information on proper restraint use for both you and your Tween? 22. Have you explain to your Tween the importance of seat belt safety and how seat belts can save
lives? 23. At what age do you think your child(ren) are old enough to decide for themselves whether they
should wear a seat belt while riding in the car? 24. Why do you think some parents let their children not wear their seat belts?
Focus Group Moderator Guide: Tweens
Focus Group Moderator Guide (Tweens)
Introduction: Hi Everyone. We want to thank you for joining us today. As many of you know, we are UIC students working on a research study with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. We want to find out more information about whom and what most influences you to wear, or not wear, seat belts. This information will help NHTSA save lives. We will put together everyone’s comments from all focus groups. We will then write a brief report. This will not use any specific information, such as your name.
Once again, we greatly appreciate your participation and ask that you be completely open and honest in your responses as we ask you the following set of questions.
1. How do you typically get to school (other than on the bus)? 2. What other activities are you involved in that require you to get in a vehicle? 3. What type of vehicle do you ride in with your parents/influencer? 4. With a show of hands, how many of you sit in the back seat of the car?
In the front seat? Anywhere else? Where? Where do you sit MOST of the time? Why? If you could always choose any seat in the car, where would it be? Why?
5. What are the good things about sitting in the front seat? Why? Bad things? 6. What are the good things about sitting in the back seat? Why? Bad things? 7. With a show of hands again, how many of you NEVER wear your seat belts?
How many wear your seat belts sometimes? (Half the times) How many wear your seat belts ALL the time?
8. For those of you who never wear your seat belt, who is usually in the car with you? How often do you wear your seat belt when your parents are not around? Why do you or don’t you wear it when your parents are not around?
9. For those of you who sometimes wear your seat belt, who is usually in the car with you? How often do you wear your seat belt when your parents are not around? Why do you or don’t you wear it when parents not around?
10. For those of you who always wear your seat belt, who is in the car with you? 11. Are there situations when you feel you don’t need to wear your seatbelts? What are they and
why?
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12. Are there any bad parts about wearing a seat belt? Why? Are there any good parts about wearing a seat belt and why?
13. What makes it hard to wear your seat belt? What makes it easier?
14. For those of you who sometimes wear your seat belt, why do you wear it? Those who always wear it, why?
15. For those of you who never wear your seat belt, why don’t you wear it? 16. For those of you who never wear your seat belt, what would make you put on your seat belt
more often? 17. For those of you who sometime wear your seat belt, what would make you put on your seat belt
every time? 18. How often do your parents/guardian wear their seat belts in the car? 19. How often do your parents have to tell you to wear your seat belt? 20. With a show of hands, how many of your parents watch you buckle your seat belt before
starting the car? For those of you whose parent’s don’t watch you buckle up, have they ever watched you? When? Why do you think they don’t watch you anymore?
21. Please describe the step by step process you go through once you enter the car and before it starts moving.
22. Do you wear your seat belt when you are in the car for a short trip like 5 minutes? Yes Why/No Why?
23. Do you wear your seat belt when you are in the car for a long period of time more than 5 minutes?
Yes Why/ No Why? 24. How often do you ride in your friend’s car or a car that is not your parents’?
How often do they have to tell you to wear your seat belt? 25. If you were riding in a car with a friend that was not wearing a seat belt, what would you do? 26. Do you know the proper way of wearing your seat belt?
Who taught you how to wear your seat belt? Please describe how you wear your seat belt. Do you think it is comfortable the way you wear it? Why?
27. Has anyone ever talked to you about wearing your seat belt? Who? What did they say?
28. Do you understand how seat belts can keep you safe in the event of an accident? Please explain how?
29. What do you know about the law of wearing your seat belt? 30. Who is the person that is most likely to tell you to wear your seat belt? 31. Whose opinion do you care about the most when they tell you?
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Focus Group Flyer
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APPENDIX B Survey: Parents
Tween Parent Survey
Please check the best answer that applies to you. Only check one answer. Your answers will
remain completely anonymous, and will be strictly used for research purposes only.
1) How often do you wear your seat belt?
___Always, every single time I get in a vehicle ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
2) Do you encourage your child(ren) to wear seat belts when riding the car with you?
___Always, every single time I get in a vehicle ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
3) Do you watch to make sure that your child(ren) effectively buckle up BEFORE putting the
car in motion? ___Always, every single time I get in a vehicle ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
4) Do you watch to make sure that your child(ren) effectively buckle up AFTER putting the car
in motion? ___Always, every single time I get in a vehicle ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
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5) To what extent do you agree with the following statement: “I find it difficult to convey the importance of seat belt safety to my child(ren).” ___Strongly Agree ___ Agree ___Neither Agree nor Disagree ___ Disagree ___Strongly Disagree
6) How do you usually check to make sure that your child(ren) have buckled their seat belts?
___I buckle my child(ren) in myself ___I ask them if they have buckled their seat belts and visually check to verify ___I ask them if they have buckled their seat belts and trust that they are telling the
truth (do not visually check) ___I do not check to make sure my children have buckled their seat belts
7) Do you check to make sure your child(ren) are wearing their seat belts CORRECTLY (with the
strap securely across their chest and lap) before putting the car in motion? ___Always, every single time I get in a vehicle ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
8) Have you shown your child(ren) how to properly buckle their seat belts by first demonstrating and then having them try? ____ Yes ____ No
9) Do you let your child(ren) ride in the car without wearing a seat belt?
____ Never, I always require them to wear their seat belt ____ Very rarely ____ Some of the time ____ Most of the time ____ I do not require my child(ren) to wear seat belts in the car
10) Where do/does your child(ren) usually sit when in the car? ___Front passenger seat ___Backseat on the left or right sides ___Backseat in the middle seat
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___Far back seats (of an SUV or minivan) ___Other (Please Specify) _______________________________________________
11) At what age do you believe your child(ren) can make their own decisions about using seat
belts when in the car? ___5 years and younger ___6 to 10 years old ___11 to 15 years old ___16 to 18 years old ___18 years or older
12) Do you explain to your Tween the importance of seat belt safety and how seat belts can
save their lives? ___Constantly ___Frequently ___Occasionally ___Rarely ___Never
13) Indicate your age:
___17-‐20 ___21-‐24 ___25-‐28 ___29-‐32 ___33-‐36 ___37-‐40 ___41-‐44 ___45-‐48 ___49-‐52 ___53-‐56 ___57 and older
14) Indicate your gender:
___Male ___Female
15) How many children do you have under the age of 16? _____ 16) Indicate the zip code in which you live: ______ 17) Indicate your ethnic background:
___African-‐American ___American Indian or Native American ___Asian ___Hispanic or Latino ___Caucasian ___Pacific Islander
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18) Indicate which of the following includes your annual household income: ___Under $30,000 ___$30,000-‐$50,000 ___$50,001-‐$70,000 ___$70,001-‐$90,000 ___$90,001-‐$110,000 ___over $110,000 ___Prefer not to answer
Thank you for your participation!
Survey: Tweens Tween Survey
Please check the best answer – only choose one answer per question, unless otherwise
instructed. No one will know what you answer for each question (it will remain anonymous).
1) What type of vehicle do you ride in most of the time (not counting the bus)? ___Car ___Pickup Truck ___SUV ___Mini-‐van ___None of the above ___Don’t know
Please think about the vehicle that you ride in most of the time (your answer for #1) when answering the following questions. 2) Do you wear your seat belt when you ride in this vehicle? (Please circle only one answer.)
___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
3) Where do you usually sit when you ride in this vehicle? (Please circle only one answer.)
___Front seat ___Back seat ___Way back, behind the back seat
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___In the bed of a truck 4) When you ride in this vehicle, how often do you ride in a booster seat?
___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never ___I do not know what a booster seat is
5) Do your parents wear their seat belts when they are driving in the car? ___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never ___Don’t know
6) Do your parents/guardians tell you to put your seat belt on when you are in the car with
them? ___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
7) Do your parents/guardians watch you buckle your seat belt before starting the car?
___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
8) Do your friends/classmates wear their seat belts when they are in the car with you?
___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
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___Don’t know
9) Do your friends’/classmates’ parents/guardians ask you to buckle your seat belt if you are riding in their car? ___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never ___I don’t ride in their car
10) Do you wear your seat belt when you are in the car for a short trip (5 minutes)?
___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
11) Do you wear your seat belt when you are in the car for a long period of time (more than 5
minutes)? ___Always, every single time ___Most of the time ___Some of the time ___Not very often ___Never
12) Do you understand how seat belts can keep you safe in the event of a car accident?
___Yes, I learned at school the importance of seatbelt safety ___Yes, my parents explained it to me ___Yes, I have heard about it from my friends/classmates ___No, no one has ever explained to me why seat belts are important ___I am not sure
13) Who has explained to you the importance of seatbelt safety and how to wear your seat belt
properly (Check ALL answers that apply)? ___Teachers ___Parents ___Brothers or Sisters ___Grandparents ___Police Officer
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___Other Adult ___No one has explained to me the importance of seatbelt safety
14) How do you wear a seat belt when in the car? ___Across my chest and lap
___Behind my back and across my lap
___Under my arm and across my lap
___I do not wear a seat belt when riding in the car 15) How do you feel when you are wearing a seat belt?
___Very comfortable ___Somewhat comfortable ___Somewhat uncomfortable ___Very uncomfortable
16) Does the seat belt fit you comfortably when you are riding in the car without a booster seat
(Check ALL answers that apply)? ___Yes, the seat belt fits comfortably across my chest and lap ___Yes, the seat belt fits comfortably because I am able to move the strap behind
my back or under my arm ___No, the seat belt is uncomfortable because it rubs up against my neck ___No, the seat belt is uncomfortable because it sits too high across my stomach ___I never sit in the car without a booster seat ___I am not sure
17) Do you ever sit in someone’s lap because there are too many people in the car and not
enough seat belts?
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___Never ___Sometimes ___Very often ___All the time
18) In general, who influences you the most? ___Parents ___Siblings ___Teachers ___Friends ___Grandparents ___Television ___None of the above influence me
19) Have you seen a seat belt safety commercial on T.V.? ___Yes ___No
20) Did the seat belt safety commercial make you want to buckle up? ___Yes ___No ___I always buckle up
21) How old are you? (Circle your choice)
___8 years ___9 years ___10 years ___11 years ___12 years
22) Please complete this sentence: I am a….
___Boy ___Girl
23) How tall are you? (Write your answer) _____ 24) What grade are you in school? (Circle your answer)
___2nd grade ___3rd grade ___4th grade
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___5th grade ___6th grade ___7th grade ___8th grade
25) What is the zip code where you live? (Write your answer) ______ 26) Please circle any of the following groups that describe you.
___African-‐American (Black) ___American Indian or Native American ___Asian ___Hispanic or Latino ___Caucasian (White) ___Pacific Islander
Thank you for your participation!
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APPENDIX C Budget
Check Distribution
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Value Estimation
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APPENDIX D Contact Information
Name Phone Number Email Laura Swetin 847-‐476-‐0085 [email protected]
Rachel Reitemeier 630-‐596-‐6890 [email protected]
Sagar Shah 847-‐219-‐9845 [email protected]
Colette Lakoma 708-‐825-‐3081 [email protected]
Rakhee Bhakta 309-‐721-‐2979 [email protected]
Marta Lagowska 773-‐507-‐8502 [email protected]
Ruth Yang 847-‐830-‐8139 [email protected]
Anna Budz 630-‐631-‐7197 [email protected]
Joanna Kowalczyk 630-‐362-‐1333 [email protected]
Anna Lyszczarczyk 708-‐289-‐1939 [email protected]
Alejandra Mojica 309-‐230-‐4097 [email protected]
Khrystyna Prokhorenko 773-‐987-‐6414 [email protected]
Andres Piatsevich 847-‐791-‐0725 [email protected]
Chris Laskowski 847-‐387-‐0865 [email protected]
Natalie Cho 847-‐420-‐3455 [email protected]
Charade McCauley 708-‐577-‐8809 [email protected]
Minh Pham 309-‐912-‐2271 [email protected]
Steve Braciszewicz 708-‐297-‐5222 [email protected]
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APPENDIX E Donation Request Letter
South Loop Solutions University of Illinois at Chicago 601 S. Morgan Suite 1111 University Hall Chicago, IL 60607
To Whom It May Concern,
We are students working on a research study with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as part of a Marketing Advertising and Research course at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The purpose of the project is to learn about what children between the ages of 8 and 12 (“Tweens”) think about seat belt use and safety as well as how they perceive seat belt use among their peers. We want to find out more information about who and what most influences this age group to wear or not wear seat belts. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 6 and 8 to 14. Determining the key influencers regarding seat belt use among this group will assist NHTSA in developing an integrated marketing communications plan to reach this key demographic and help save lives.
We will be conducting focus groups where we will be providing food items for the participants. With the budget we were given from NHTSA, we have many expenses that come into play for our project. We are looking into allocating our money directly to the campaign and establishment of safety amongst our demographic.
I am asking you to help us by providing coffee donations for our focus groups. We are working very hard in preparing for this project, and I hope we can count on you for a generous donation of the coffee.
If you require additional information about NHTSA or our research study, please contact me and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
I thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to whatever support you can provide. Best Regards, Laura Swetin Coordinator
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APPENDIX F South Loop Solutions Backgrounder South Loop Solutions is a new marketing team comprised of students at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Our objective is to conduct market research in an effort to develop a better understanding as to why Tweens are one of the leading populations of individuals who do not wear seat belts. Overlooked by EdVenture Partners, South Loop Solutions is conducting this research in order to meet client objectives, for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Objectives set out for South Loop Solutions include:
Conduct secondary research, conduct observational research, hold focus groups in efforts to gain first hand research, conduct in-‐depth interview, develop and distribute surveys to parents and Tweens and create an advertising campaign
South Loop Solutions developed smaller groups within our team to help achieve our objectives; however, all members helped out in all departments of the campaign (excluding coordinators). The groups and their responsibilities are as follows:
Coordinators
The coordinators will oversee all team members of the NHTSA research project. In addition to keeping all members on schedule with the projected timeline, the coordinators will also administer all tasks to necessary subgroups. Keeping in close contact with the client, all objectives will be met and completed, while keeping all team members involved in the completion of the research campaign.
Quantitative/ Qualitative
The quantitative research team will seek out our target market in order to distribute surveys to parents and Tweens. They will input all of the data into a statistical analysis software program and analyzed the data from the research done from both the qualitative and quantitative aspects. The qualitative department is responsible for conducting observational studies, focus groups, and in-‐depth interviews regarding Tweens and their perceptions of seat belt usage. The team will use the results to analyze how Tweens are influenced by adults, specifically parents or family members, as well as the correlations between drivers and Tweens.
Finance
The finance department is responsible for managing and tracking all monetary transactions that occur for the campaign. The team will also be responsible for maximizing the value of the campaign through securing donations and receiving discounts from local businesses.
Advertising
The advertising department is responsible for developing advertisements, posters, banners, and fliers to promote the message set out. The agency will use the research results to deliver the most effective message and tone to their target market. Multiple medial forms will be utilized including social networking, press releases, and events.
Reports and Presentations
The reports and presentation department is in charge of managing and creating the PowerPoint presentations that will be used in the final presentation. In addition, reports and presentation is in charge of compiling all the documents to ensure consistency throughout the reports and presentation.
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APPENDIX G Thank You Letter
South Loop Solutions University of Illinois at Chicago 601 S. Morgan Suite 1111 University Hall Chicago, IL 60607 To Whom It May Concern, On behalf of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) campaign interns at the University of Illinois at Chicago, I would like to thank you for your generous donation of [whatever that was donated] from [the place]. Your commitment to helping our campaign is sincerely appreciated. Your contribution makes it possible for us to save on our expenses for the campaign and focus on developing an integrated marketing communications plan to reach a key demographic and help save lives. Thanks again for your generous support. Best regards, Laura Swetin Coordinator
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