Case Study : WMP Operation Top Deck continued ...
Mobile : Engaged contribution
Following involvement with the Mobile : Engaged project , a Sergeant from the West Midlands Police Road Harm Reduction team explains ….
“ We met the Mobile : Engaged team several months before we first ran a Top Deck operation . The meeting was very helpful in encouraging us to think about the ways that research could inform what we were planning to do ”
“ As a result of the meeting , and the team ’ s comments about some drivers not understanding that the law applied when they were stationary in traffic , we decided to divide the drivers we witnessed using their phones into two groups . Those who were using their phones on the move were prosecuted , whilst those that were using their phone whilst stationary were given education . We will be keeping their details on file in case they come to our attention again , and demonstrate that they have not learnt a lesson and benefitted from the education we gave them .”
Mobile : Engaged
“ During the Operation we gave out lots of information depending on the type of driver that we stopped . For example , we pulled over a contractor ’ s vehicle and were able , there and then , to show him evidence of his employer ’ s strict stance on mobile phone use . We think this is likely to have had a significant influence on his future behaviour . This was motivated by what the Mobile : Engaged team told us about the ‘ leverage ’ that company policies can have on drivers , over and above the effect of the law .”
“ Based on what the Mobile : Engaged team told us , we also took the opportunity to tailor the educational messages we shared to the person receiving them . Our non-police partners were instructed to ask a few introductory questions to establish what they driver ’ s thinking on mobile phones was . For example , if they were ignorant of the law , we made sure our input focussed on that . If they were aware but had trouble complying , we gave them advice on how to resist temptation . We feel that , as a result , each driver received a better experience and one more likely to have had a positive influence on them .”
Engaged with Driving Change
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