U in the driver seat : a peer-to-peer pilot program for decreasing car crashes by college students.

Tisdale, Stacey M. · 2013 · ROSA P / Southwest Region University Transportation Center (U.S.)

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Summary

This report evaluates "U in the Driver Seat," a peer-to-peer pilot program designed to reduce car crashes among college students aged 18–24. Motivated by the fact that this demographic experiences higher total crash fatalities than younger novice drivers, the study aimed to refine a student-led safety model and assess the effectiveness of peer messaging on risk awareness and driving behaviors. The program was piloted at three Texas campuses—Texas Southern University (TSU), Texas A&M University–San Antonio, and the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW)—during the 2012–2013 academic year. The methodology involved establishing student leadership teams to distribute safety messages and conduct outreach activities. Researchers implemented a structured approach including pre- and post-program surveys to measure self-reported driving habits and risk awareness, as well as field observations to monitor seat belt usage and electronic device use while driving. At TSU, field observations were conducted at a parking garage entrance, counting approximately 500 vehicles in both pre- and post-program periods. The program utilized promotional items, such as branded koozies and backpacks, and social media platforms to engage students. However, logistical challenges, particularly delays in obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals, hindered data collection at some sites. At Texas A&M University–San Antonio, assessments were collected only after activities concluded, preventing a true pre-post comparison. The findings indicate that the brief pilot period did not yield statistically significant changes in driving behavior or risk awareness. At TSU, field observations showed minimal variation between pre- and post-program data; for instance, the rate of drivers visibly using electronic devices remained low (5.41% post-program), which was below the state average of 10.2%, but did not significantly change due to the intervention. Survey data from 334 TSU students and 221 Texas A&M–San Antonio students served primarily as benchmark data rather than evidence of behavioral shift. The study noted that students were often reluctant to participate in surveys, requiring incentives to secure responses. The significance of the study lies in its operational insights for deploying peer-to-peer safety programs. The researchers concluded that successful implementation relies heavily on partnering with established, active student groups, such as the peer educators at UIW, rather than attempting to form new teams from scratch. The report highlights that administrative support and early IRB coordination are critical for effective data collection. While the pilot did not demonstrate immediate behavioral change, it validated the feasibility of the model and provided a framework for future, sustained deployments. The authors recommend expanding the program by targeting existing health or engineering student organizations and securing long-term funding to maintain consistent outreach.

Key finding

The pilot program did not result in statistically significant changes in observed driving behaviors or self-reported driving habits, although post-program electronic device use was recorded at 5.41 percent, which was below the state average of 10.2 percent.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 555

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

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

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• public messaging
• passenger effects
• driver education effectiveness
• induced exposure

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: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes