Summary of “Zero Crazy” Results – Spring 2016 Focus on Electronic Use

During the Spring of 2016, Teens in the Driver Seat (TDS) supported an activity at TDS schools to decrease electronic use among teen drivers and adult drivers who transport students. The activity, Zero Crazy, is in its fourth year and consists of a pre-observation, three weeks of messaging, a post-observation, and a pizza party for the schools that completed and returned all observation data. The activity was offered to all program schools. Forty-four high schools and junior high schools signed up to complete the activity, thirty-three completed the pre-observations and thirty-one of those returned all data and received a report of their results and a $100 gift card for their accomplishment.

High school student teams were asked to observe teen drivers and log if they were or were not visibly using an electronic device. Junior High student teams were asked to observe adult drivers and log electronic use. Some combination (junior/senior high) and smaller schools with a small driving population completed the adult observation.

The 2016 data suggests teens are slightly more distracted behind the wheel than adults, which is on par with national statistics. However, this year we were able to compare schools that have participated in the activity multiple years with first-year activity schools and found that the multi-year young driver pre-observations were higher than first-year young driver pre-observations. These results suggest regular focus on this risk is resulting in less young driver distractions over time.

Young Driver Multi-Year vs. First Year School Results
(Contains only schools that observed teens in their pre- and post-observations. Weighted average.)

First Year Schools

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      1,238                                       1,295
Drivers displaying no electronic use     85.4%                                      88.8%  +3.4%

 

Multiple Year Schools

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      542                                          636
Drivers displaying no electronic use     89.2%                                      92.0%  +2.8%

All School Results
(Weighted average.)

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      3,454                                       3,600
Drivers displaying no electronic use     87.5%                                      91.4%  +3.9%

 

Texas Results
(Weighted average.)

Texas High Schools

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      1,780                                       1,931
Drivers displaying no electronic use     86.6%                                      89.9%  +3.3%

 

Texas Junior High Schools

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      1,674                                       1,669
Drivers displaying no electronic use     88.4%                                      93.1%  +4.7%

 

Nebraska Results
(Weighted average.)

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      392                                          454
Drivers displaying no electronic use     84%                                         89%     +5%

 

Colorado Results
(Weighted average.)

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      222                                          256
Drivers displaying no electronic use     88.1%                                      97.9%  +9.8%

 

State Farm School Results
(Includes schools in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New York, and Oklahoma. Weighted average.)

                                                                        Pre-Observations                   Post-Observations

Sampling                                                      430                                          454
Drivers displaying no electronic use     86.4%                                      91.1%  +4.7%