Focus Groups on Traffic Safety Issues: Public Response to NCAP

NHTSA · 1993 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This 1993 report details a study conducted for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to evaluate public response to the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Motivated by a 1991 Congressional directive to increase public awareness of automotive safety and ensure crash test data is easily understood, the study aimed to assess consumer perceptions of safety information, identify its role in vehicle selection, and gather insights for promotional campaigns. The methodology employed fifteen focus groups—seven of men and eight of women—conducted in Washington D.C., Dallas, and San Francisco during the spring of 1993. Participants included 67 men and 72 women, aged 25 to 55, who had recently purchased or planned to purchase a new car. The groups reviewed specific test materials: a revised NCAP Crashworthiness Chart translating scores into "levels of protection," technical NCAP Data Sheets, and draft radio and print public service announcements (PSAs). Sessions explored factors influencing car purchases, reactions to the safety materials, and preferences for information dissemination. Findings indicated that while reliability and economic factors were primary concerns, safety was a major consideration for all participants, with women citing it more frequently than men. Initially, few participants were aware of NCAP data, but after exposure, crash test results ranked as the most important factor for women and third for men. Participants found the NCAP Chart’s "levels of protection" format clear and useful but criticized the accompanying symbols and explanatory notes as too technical. The detailed Data Sheets were deemed incomprehensible for average consumers. Participants expressed strong interest in additional crash data, such as side-impact and rollover tests, and supported a standardized safety rating system combining crash tests and highway statistics. Regarding promotional materials, participants valued the message that federal safety information was free but criticized the PSAs for lacking clear government identification and memorable phone numbers. They emphasized that ads must explicitly state the federal source and offer free access to build trust. The study concluded with recommendations to expand NCAP testing to include side-impact and rear-seat injury measures and to simplify the presentation of results. NHTSA was advised to distribute NCAP data through dealerships, insurance companies, and publications like *Consumer Reports*. Promotional efforts should clearly identify the federal government as the sponsor, emphasize that the information is free, and use easy-to-remember 800 numbers. The report suggests that making safety information accessible and understandable can significantly influence consumer behavior and enhance public awareness of automotive safety.

Key finding

Participants found the NCAP Chart's 'Levels of Protection' clear and easy to use, but considered the accompanying data sheets too technical for the average consumer.

Methodology

other

Sample size: 139

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• incidence prevalence

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: standards test procedures
• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource