To translate our evidence-based, parent-engagement safe teen driving intervention to a high-risk, rural and urban teen drivers with a traffic violation, and to test the implementation, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of the proposed intervention.
For this study, 290 teen and parent/guardian dyads will be randomized into one of three study groups for 12 months with 6 months of active data collection. Teens will be aged 16-17 who committed a moving-related traffic violation and their parent/legal guardian who is most involved with their driving. Dyads will be recruited from both urban and rural counties in Ohio following the teen's moving violation conviction. The study will determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the intervention on teens' risky driving events, unsafe driving behaviors, traffic violation recidivism, and motor vehicle collisions (MVCs), as well as frequency and quality of parent-teen communications about safe driving practices. Additionally, the study will determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the peer-delivered intervention vs. expert-delivered intervention on the outcomes of the interest. Finally, the study will assess the barriers/facilitators to the adoption and implementation of the intervention in rural and urban families.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
580
The Azūga™ in-vehicle driving feedback technology, which consists of a pager-sized device plugged into the vehicle's on-board diagnostic port (installed in the teen's car) and a smart phone app (downloaded on the teen's smart phone), will be installed/downloaded. Three types of feedback will be provided to intervention teens: 1) Direct audio feedback from the installed device; 2) Detailed cumulative driving data via the smart phone app and study website; 3) A customized biweekly driving summary report via study website; and 4) Push notification on the phone screen when a trip ends.
An individualized virtual training in communication strategies about teen driving safety along with a booster session will be delivered by a traffic safety communication specialist to parents in the Feedback and Expert-Delivered Parent Communication Intervention Group. Intervention parents in this group will also be provided with access to an online parent-teen safe driving communication guide.
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, Ohio, United States
RECRUITINGRisky Driving Events
Risky driving events are continuously monitored for teens across all three groups using an in-vehicle device and smartphone app. The system automatically detects and records driving events, including hard braking (≤ -0.45 g-force) sudden acceleration (\> 0.35 g-force), speeding (\>10 miles over the posted speed limit), and speed \>75 mph. Event rates are calculated as the number of risky driving events per 1,000 miles driven.
Time frame: Six months/study period
Unsafe Driving Behaviors
Unsafe driving behaviors among teens are continuously monitored across all three study groups using an in-vehicle device and a smartphone app. The system automatically records behaviors such as speeding, and seatbelt nonuse (for selected vehicle makes and model years only), as well as the distance traveled while these behaviors occur. Unsafe behavior rates are calculated as the number of miles involving an unsafe behavior per 1,000 miles driven. Survey data supplement these measures by capturing self-reported distracted driving and seatbelt use for vehicles that are not fully compatible with the in-vehicle device.
Time frame: Six months/study period
Traffic Violation Recidivism
Recidivism is assessed by linking traffic citation and court disposition records to participants' driver's license numbers. Data collected include violation dates, types, and intervals between the index and subsequent violations.
Time frame: Up to one-year post-study period
Parent-Teen Communication
Parent-teen communication is assessed using REDCap surveys. Teens and parents rate the frequency (0-3) and success (1-10) of discussions about 26 driving skills and safety principles from the past month. Frequency scores range from 0-78, with higher scores indicating more frequent communication, and quality scores are weighted averages expressed as percentages (1-100%), with higher scores indicating higher quality communication. Additionally, one voice-recorded conversation per survey is also coded by trained raters for active listening, OARS (i.e.,open questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summary reflections) use solicitation of the teen's perspective, focus on behaviors, and emotional expression, with each behavior scored 0-3 to generate a summary quality score, with higher scores indicating higher quality communication.
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An individualized virtual training in communication strategies about teen driving safety along with a booster session will be delivered by a peer trainer who is a parent of teen with traffic citation and has participated in the Feedback and Expert-Delivered Parent Communication Intervention Group. Intervention parents in this group will also be provided with access to an online parent-teen safe driving communication guide.
Time frame: At Baseline, Three months, and Six months