Communications that Matter: Raising Awareness around Distracted Driving During #DDAM

April marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which has been a top priority for those working with fleets or auto insurance for the past few decades, and for good reason. In fact, in 2022 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,308 deaths from distracted driving. While awareness is rising, continued communications and solid messaging will be key in continuing to curb distracted driving.

As a leading voice to both commercial and personal auto policyholders, insurers play a valuable role in promoting safe driving practices and keeping our roadways safe. Reducing the number of incidents, injuries and fatalities remains the primary mission of many insurers who are combating this issue. There is also a business case to be made for reducing the number of potential claims an insurer may face by encouraging safe driving habits. Many insurers have made an impact with creative campaigns that not only get attention but drive change.

Examining Successful Distracted Driving Awareness Efforts

A campaign should account for various factors including the type of audience and what materials will be most successful in reaching that audience. Below are a few successful campaigns to consider as a guide:

1.???? Tapping into Emotion: The Travelers Institute has targeted and addressed distracted driving since 2017 through their Every Second Matters? campaign.

What sets Travelers’ campaign apart is their tailored messaging. A successful campaign needs to reach many audiences. This campaign has detailed resources and data that showcase the types of distractions drivers may encounter, how these distractions can manifest into unsafe driving behaviors and what an accident could cost.

A good campaign is designed to connect with a range of audiences. A new generation is getting behind the wheel, and insurers need to reach them as well. Every Second Matters targets young drivers through an awareness campaign acknowledging the victims of distracted driving. This campaign looks at the unfinished stories of distracted driving victims. Emotionally appealing to the next generation may be a more successful tactic for reaching this audience than a data-based approach.

2.???? Taking the Public’s Temperature: Nationwide has a different approach to promoting public safety. In addition to offering a deep array of distracted driving resources, including a guide for addressing teen distracted driving and an article sharing a unique range of insights on misconceptions around distracted driving, they focus their efforts on surveying the public.

Annually, Nationwide conducts a survey observing driver behaviors and identifying concerning trends. The findings from this survey are then aggregated in a press release which Nationwide distributes over the newswire and promotes over social media. Data from their latest survey was just released and showcases how distracted driving continues to persist as a major threat.

3.???? Providing Resources: Progressive’s driver safety hub has a comprehensive set of articles focused on distracted driving. They cover dangerous driving habits, cell phone safety on the road, different forms of distracted driving and much more. They also highlight the latest technology in the field, such as driver monitoring technology that could help limit distracted driving incidents. As these articles are released, Progressive links to them on social media to raise awareness around the subject matter.

These insurers have found success with their distracted driving messaging because they developed detailed and informative materials that reached and addressed a wide range of audiences. In addition to considering the audience, a powerful campaign will provide a wide range of resources and tools, such as data, examples and case studies and more.

The Elements of a Good Campaign

What are the key elements of a strong campaign to raise public awareness? Implementing the right tactical approach is essential. A press release distributed the right way is an effective method to get the word out that your business is running a campaign, so people know where to look for resources. Both digital and physical articles and brochures are ideal materials to start with. Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM), for example, offers an entire section of their website dedicated to downloadable auto safety materials, including distracted driving.

Other tactics vary based on the campaign. In some cases, an advertising campaign may be a good tactic to reach the widest range of people. The Ad Council has seen success with this type of work on distracted driving in recent years, as their advertisements have showcased the dangers and cost of distracted driving. An op-ed piece can be a great tool for expressing concerns about a public safety issue more freely and with as much detail as needed. When dealing with a timelier issue, newsjacking and keeping an eye on breaking news stories can be an effective tactic as well.?

Business owners, insurers in this case, have the power to guide change on major public safety issues like distracted driving but need the right tools to do so. A well-planned campaign with the right tactics to address the general public is key. Taking the time to consider your audience and what types of messaging you include can be the key to a good public safety campaign.