Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.
DOT HS 809 649

2. Government Accession No.

3. Recipient’s Catalog No.

4. Title and Subtitle

5. Report Date

Highway Safety in Black/African-American Communities: Issues and Strategies

September 17, 2002

6. Performing Organization Code

7. Author(s)
Sylvia Cordy, Kevin Raines, Judith Singletary, Rochelle Tillery-Larkin, Ph.D.

8. Performing Organization Report No.

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Cordy & Company, Inc.
5420 Wisconsin Avenue 11. Contract or Grant No.
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTNH22-00-C-05175

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Research and Traffic Records
400 7^th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC   20590

Final Report

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. Supplementary Notes

16. Abstract

As traffic safety needs and problems differ across populations, so are the strategies required to address them. Efforts to improve traffic safety in the Black community have been handicapped, however, by a lack of information on communication strategies that would be helpful in determining and shaping effective interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify traffic safety needs of Black communities within the United States and to determine effective means of directing traffic safety messages to these populations. Based on the research, specific guidelines for conducting interventions targeted to the Black community were produced. Information was collected from officials and representatives from local agencies and organizations through one-on-one discussions and with focus groups with members of the general public in six targeted locations across the United States. The six study sites were Berkeley County, SC; Cook County, IL; Jackson County, MO; Middlesex County, NJ; Oktibbeha County, MS and Prince George's County, MD.

Representatives from agencies and organizations identified the improper or nonuse of child safety seats as a major problem. Focus group participants ranked drinking and driving as the top or one of the top three problems. Aggressive /reckless driving and speeding were also given high priority by focus groups participants.

When promoting traffic safety programs to Black populations, research participants recommended positive, realistic messages that portray truthful, ordinary Black people in believable situations. Families were identified as the most positive influences. Churches and schools were recognized as the most trusted and effective venues for reaching the Black community with traffic safety messages.

17. Key Words

18. Distribution Statement

African American
Black
Focus Groups
Traffic Safety

Document is available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161

19. Security Classif. (of this report)

20. Security Classif. (of this page)

21. No. of Pages

22. Price

Unclassified

  Unclassified

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72)          Reproduction of completed page authorized