Utilizing Text Messaging to Improve Vehicle Safety Among At-Risk Young Adults

University of Pittsburgh218 enrolled

Overview

The "Safe Vehicle Engagement (SaVE)" trials are 3 parallel randomized clinical trials that aim to determine the impact of text messaging (SMS) vehicle safety interventions vs. weekly SMS vehicle safety self-monitoring alone on seat belt use, distracted driving and drink driving among young adults identified in the emergency department (ED) with risky vehicle behaviors.

The investigators propose to conduct 3 related randomized, controlled, parallel group, assessor-blind, superiority trials of 6-week text message interventions vs. SMS vehicle safety self-monitoring in young adult participants with risky vehicle behaviors. A total of 500 adult participants will be enrolled: 300 into Cohort 1 (seat belt); 100 into Cohort 2 (distracted driving); 100 into Cohort 3 (drink driving). Each SMS intervention will be designed to target a single risk behavior. The study is powered to show a difference of 15% in the percentage of subjects reporting seat belt use at week 8. Other cohort trials (i.e. distracted driving, drink driving) and outcomes will be exploratory.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

218

Conditions

Risk Reduction

Interventions

SMS DialogueBEHAVIORAL

Once-weekly SMS dialogue sessions or micro-interventions and use behavior change techniques (BCTs) including self-monitoring with performance feedback and goal support

SMS AssessmentsBEHAVIORAL

Once-weekly SMS assessments of motor vehicle risks

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 25 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion criteria: 1\) Adult participant (age ≥ 18 years \& ≤25 years) 1. Cohort 1: Any vehicle trip in past 2 weeks where individual reports not using a seat belt 2. Cohort 2: Any vehicle trip in past 2 weeks where individual reports phone was used to type while driving and car was moving 3. Cohort 3: Any vehicle trip in past 2 weeks where individual reports driving a vehicle within 2 hours after consuming 2 or more drinks Exclusion criteria: 1. Member of a protected population (prisoner) 2. Unable to provide informed consent 3. No plan to drive and/or ride in a vehicle in the next month 4. Non-English speaking 5. No personal mobile phone or planning on changing phone in next 3 months

Locations (2)

University of Pennsylvania Hospital Emergency Departments

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Emergency Departments

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Seat Belt Use

Participant count reporting always using a seat belt over past 2 weeks

Time frame: Week 8

Secondary Outcomes

Feasibility of Recruitment

Percentage of ED patients who screen positive

Time frame: Baseline

Measure of Intervention Acceptability

Percentage of ED patients enrolled in the Intervention arm who complete at least 50% of the SMS assessments during the intervention period

Time frame: 2 weeks to 8 weeks

Seat Belt Use

Participant count reporting always using a seat belt over past 2 weeks

Time frame: Week 14

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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