Case Study : Telford & Wrekin Employee Education continued ...
Mobile : Engaged contribution
Knowledge exchange
Prior to the Knowledge Exchange Consultation , we were given access to the workshop presentation material and information outlining the thinking , and research , that lay behind the presentation . We were also given access to the pre- and post-workshop evaluation questions that are asked .
Personally relevant education
One element of the workshop involved a discussion of ‘ what could happen when drivers use a mobile phone while driving ’ [ our emphasis ]. We suggested that the information could appear more ‘ real ’ and personally relevant if it simply asked instead ‘ what could happen if you use a mobile phone while driving ’. For those that believe they are safe drivers ( as we know most people do ¹), a focus on other drivers may lead to disassociation from the message and the consequences .
We would also suggest that individuals are encouraged to ‘ self-talk ’ or to vocalise the consequences of mobile use for themselves rather than rely on someone else providing those examples for them . This way they have to have the active thought process ‘ what would this mean for me ’ and imagine a future where those possibilities have become a reality .
Company policy
Some individuals believe that they are unlikely to actually experience any of the consequences associated with mobile phone use . A crash , or being caught by the police , may seem unlikely . A more conceivable influence , however , might be company policy ( where an effective one exists ). For some , it is not the law that dissuades them from using a mobile phone whilst driving , but the existence of a company policy that prohibits it , and threatens serious consequences ( such as dismissal ) for noncompliance . Professional drivers are , the research shows , more likely to comply with employer regulation than state regulation where there are disparities between the two ¹.
Where education is taking place with staff who are covered by such a policy , reminding them of that , and getting participants to vocalise the impact of suspension or dismissal could be effective . Being unable to pay bills , afford hobbies , support families , or losing contact with friends are all different angles on the potential consequences of mobile phone use . Including a wide range of effects means we are more likely to find something that resonates with everyone .
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¹ Dorn , L . ( 2017 ). An Intervention Framework for Safer Driver Behaviour on the SRN . Report for Highways England . 1-065 Final Report .