Responses to anti-speeding television advertisements in seven large cities in low- and middle-income countries

Abstract

Undertaking formative research to guide development of effective communication messages is a key step in producing evidence-based road safety campaigns. This study examined data from road safety anti-speeding communication message testing research in seven cities in low- and middle-income countries: Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Bandung, Indonesia; Bangkok, Thailand; Bogotá, Colombia; Fortaleza, Brazil; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The objective of this study was to identify which executional style of anti-speeding message would be perceived by drivers as most effective in influencing them to not exceed speed limits when driving. In each city study, motor vehicle drivers aged 18–44 years rated up to 10 anti-speeding television advertisements on attributes such as comprehension, believability, personal relevance and perceived personal influence and effectiveness. The advertisements tested in each city were coded into four execution categories, according to whether they primarily: (1) focused on the negative consequences of speeding; (2) portrayed personal testimonial stories about harms from speeding; (3) provided science-based information about the mechanics of speeding, braking time and heightened risk of crash-related harm, accompanied by instruction to reduce speeding; or (4) took an enforcement approach regarding risk of detection and punishment for speeding. The results showed that instructional advertisements were rated most highly on communication effectiveness indicators across cities, followed by consequences and testimonial advertisements, with the lowest ratings generally given to enforcement advertisements. Rating scores varied significantly among cities, pointing to the importance of testing road safety messages in the local sociocultural context of the proposed campaign.