MODERATOR'S GUIDE FOR FOCUS GROUPS CONDUCTED WITH RURAL, MALE PICKUP TRUCK DRIVERS
I. INTRODUCTION (10 Min.)
Explain the purpose and process of the focus groups.
Respondents introduce themselves by providing:
- Name
- Age
- Occupation
- Household composition
II. ATTITUDES TOWARDS SAFETY MEASURES (20 Minutes)
To what extent do you consider yourselves to be generally safety conscious?
What are the things about which you are most conscientious relative to safety? Why?
- What are examples of things you do to promote safety in these areas?
- How did you learn about these things?
Generally speaking, are there any things relative to safety you know you should be doing, but you're not? What/Why not?
How do you feel about seat belts?
- (Stress that this part of conversation has nothing to do with whether they use seat belts or not, just attitudes)
- Do you feel seat belts are important to safety? Why/Why not?
- Who needs them?
- Are attitudes any different for pick-up trucks versus cars?
What are the laws regarding seat belts? (PROBE: Cars versus pick-up trucks)
How do you feel about these laws? (PROBE: Cars versus pick-up trucks)
- What should the laws be? Why?
What are the laws regarding passengers in the bed of a pick-up truck?
How do you feel about these laws?
What do you think about the safety of riding in the cargo area of a pick-up truck?
- How often do you see passengers in pick-up beds?
- Do you ever ride there?
- Describe the most likely occasions?
III. SAFETY BELT UTILIZATION (15 Minutes)
- How often do you use seat belts?
- How often in the last week did you NOT wear the seat belt?
- What kind of things impact whether or not you use seat belts?
(PROBE: children, other passengers, distance, highway, city, policemen, State laws, fines, and likelihood of being stopped)
Are you any more or less likely to use seat belts if you are in a car or pick-up truck?
What are some of the specific things that keep you from wearing seat belts more often?
- Did you wear seat belts as a child?
- What are some of the reasons why you use seat belts?
(Safer if in a crash, reminder of passenger, set good example for children, don't want a ticket, it's the law)
- How would the imagery you associate with the person(s) who typically use seat belts compare to that of people who typically do not use seat belts?
IV. RESPONSE TO MOTIVATIONAL EFFORTS (30 Minutes)
What kind of things need to be, or could be, done to get you to wear seat belts more often?
INTRODUCE EACH CONCEPT STATEMENT/THEME and obtain responses to:
How do you feel about this theme?
How effective do you feel this theme could be?
- What specifically impacts the potential effectiveness of this approach/theme?
Could anything be done to make it more effective?
For whom might this theme work?
AFTER ALL HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED:
Which of these themes work best/least?
V. RESPONSES TO EXISTING CAMPAIGNS AND PROPERTIES (15 Minutes)
Are there any efforts you remember that were directed at getting people to wear safety belt more often?
- Describe the efforts?
- What did you think about them?
- To what extent were they effective?
- What is it that made them memorable?
SHOW SEVERAL CAMPAIGNS AND PROPERTIES, after all have been shown:
Were there any aspects of any of these efforts you felt had potential for motivating you or your family and friends to use seat belts? Which ones/Why?
Were there any aspects that really turned you off, or should be avoided, in an effort to get you to use seat belts more often?
Is there anything about any of these efforts that could be changed to make them more effective?
Is there any one campaign or property you consider to be the most or least effective? Why?
VI. DEVELOPMENT OF CAMPAIGN COMPONENTS (30 Minutes)
If you were responsible for the development of an effort to get people like you to use seat belts more often when driving their trucks, what would you do?
Should the effort be any different if it is specifically for pick-up trucks instead of cars?
Moderator's Guide for Handout of Reasons and Approaches-1
Reasons for not wearing a safety belt:
Pickup trucks are big and you ride higher up, so you are safer if there is a crash.
Approach A - Statistical Argument
In 34% of pickup truck crashes, the driver or the passenger of the pickup truck is thrown out of the vehicle, usually through the front windshield.
Approach B - Humorous Argument
A pickup truck is so high above the roadway that the driver will have a great view as he and his truck hit the concrete wall.
Approach C - Celebrity Spokesperson Argument
Cal Ripkin drives his pickup truck to all his home games and says: "I always buckle up for safety; I don't want to miss a single game."
Approach D - Medical Consequences Argument
When you get into a crash, you'll probably fit through the great big windshield of your pickup truck, just before you become road kill!
Approach E - Consequences to Self and Others - Argument
No matter how large a pickup truck you drive, it's no match for a crash with a tractor -trailer. If you survive, your family and friends can wheel you around in a - not so big - wheelchair.
Moderator's Guide for Handout of Reasons and Approaches-2
Reason for not wearing a safety belt:
I'm an excellent driver and my reflexes are great, so I'm not concerned about getting in a crash.
Approach A - Statistical Argument
In surveys, 83% of drivers rated themselves as well above average or above average drivers.
Approach B - Humorous Argument
My driving skills are great but that other guy took forever to find his brake pedal. He rear ended me and sent me right through my front windshield.
Approach C - Celebrity Spokesperson Argument
Sammy Sosa says: "Most of my friends say they're as quick behind the wheel as I am at bat, but I don't take chances in my pickup truck; I buckle up for safety."
Approach D - Medical Consequences Argument
I was quick with the wheel and fast on the brakes but the tractor -trailer jackknifed and as I was thrown from my truck he jackknifed me too.
Approach E - Consequences to Self and Others - Argument
My son was proud of how I avoided the pileup, but when we got rear-ended and I fell out my door, he grabbed my arm and tried hard to hold on to me. The look in our eyes when he couldn't hold on and I fell out of my pickup truck is a sight neither of us can ever forget. If only I had been wearing my seat belt, I wouldn't be in this wheelchair today; and my son wouldn't have that sad and guilty look in his eyes, every time he sees me.
Moderator's Guide for Handout of Reasons and Approaches-3
Reason for not wearing a safety belt:
If I wear my seat belt and it jams, I will be trapped in my pickup truck if there is a crash.
Approach A - Statistical Argument
Crash data and law enforcement crash reports show that belts jam in crashes fewer than one percent of the time.
Approach B - Humorous Argument
I didn't wear my seat belt because I thought it might jam and trap me in my pickup truck. Now I'm stuck between the roof of my cab and my steering wheel. That's what I call JAMMED!
Approach C - Celebrity Spokesperson Argument
Randy Travis says, "Don't get trapped between that old tree and your pickup - wear your seat belt every time you head down the road."
Approach D - Medical Consequences Argument
I didn't want to get stuck in my pickup truck; just didn't want the safety belt to bruise my chest. Now I'm stuck but good-between my pickup and that mini van!
Approach E - Consequences to Self and Others - Argument
When I'd get into my pickup the kids would always remind me to put my seat belt on. I told them I'd take my chances. Now they're visiting me at the cemetery. Guess I didn't place a very good bet!_____________________