Case Study
The Honest Truth
Overview of the approach
The Honest Truth is a national road safety charity based in Devon. Its aim is to achieve a reduction in the number of
people killed and seriously injured on UK roads. The charity was set up following a fatal collision in the region in
2009 and, since then, it has been encouraging people to talk about safe driving and has been providing individuals
with information that allows them to recognise how to drive safely. Its work is particularly targeted at young drivers.
The ‘USP’ of the approach is the use of images of animals typifying risky driver behaviour - such as a cheetah for
speeding, and a parrot for mobile phone use.
The charity works with regional and national partners to promote its educational materials and message. Whilst
most of this can be accessed via its website (https://www.thehonesttruth.co.uk/), the primary form of delivery
has been via driving instructors who attend training seminars organised by road safety organisations and
emergency services. They then deliver the road safety messages to their students. From an initial target of working
with 25 Advanced Driving Instructors (ADIs) The Honest Truth is now partnered with over 2,000 ADIs across the UK
who use an information pack that details ten behaviours, including explanations of why they are problematic and
what individuals can do to avoid experiencing the associated consequences. ADIs are given guidance regarding
delivering of the material according to individual requirements. The approach was developed using behavioural
change theory, and many behaviour change techniques can be found within it.
The website offers advice to pre-learners, learner drivers, and new drivers, as well as their parents. It also contains
information about making a pledge to make small changes to driving behaviour, as a key element of the initiative is
that ‘small changes save lives’.
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