Case Study : Crash Course continued ...
Mobile : Engaged contribution
Knowledge exchange
The Mobile : Engaged team have had prior connections with Crash Course as one of the Mobile : Engaged team completed a PhD based on the Crash Course intervention , some of the findings of which have been published ¹. The Mobile : Engaged team also met with the Education and Training Co-ordinating Manager for the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership regarding the development of Crash Course moving forward .
Focus on safety The core Crash Course presentation provides information relating to both handheld and hands-free mobile phone use , rather than simply handheld mobile phone use , an approach which we would endorse . This helps to overcome some of the issues associated with the law discussed on page 15-16 , as it represents a focus on safety over legality . Positive changes in attitudes and self-reported behaviours regarding hands-free mobile phone use were observed in the evaluation .
Local , ‘ real ’ stories Crash Course was very deliberately presented by a group of people with experience of the personal consequences associated with driving offences , and this personal connection was made clear to the audience . This was complemented with case studies of incidents drawn from the local area , using images and video clips supporting those stories . Course attendees reported that they were able to connect to the information being presented by comparing their own offending behaviour , sometimes even on the same roads , to the behaviour of those featured ².
Emotional warning With the largely emotional and fear-based content of Crash Course , it is important to consider who the audience is , as highlighted on page 69 . Members of the audience may have their own personal experience of the issues being discussed , as some attendees indeed reported 2 . A content warning is issued at the start of the course itself , but should be provided before individuals agree to attend the course , whether that is groups of offenders , employees , school children or others .
¹ Wells , H . and Savigar , L ., ( 2017 ). Keeping up , and keeping on : Risk , acceleration and the law-abiding driving offender . Criminology & Criminal Justice , p . 1748895817738555 .
² Savigar , L . ( 2016 ). How can education be used to influence road safety attitudes and behaviours ? An exploration of Crash Course as a diversion from prosecution and as road safety training for employees : Report for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire – December 2016 .
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