TEXTING WHILE DRIVING KASHA MARTIN JAMIE PAIVA MARSHA THOMAS BRANDIE ZIMMERMAN

INTRODUCTION In recent years there has been a growing concern of distracted driving and vehicle crashes. Of these distractions, cell phone use has received a lot of attention (O’Brien, Goodwin, Foss, 2010). Research has shown that there are a variety of tasks that draw a drivers eyes away from the roadway and suggests that texting is associated with the highest risk among all cell phone-related tasks among these drivers (Madden & Lenhart, 2009). These crashes are the single most serious health problem of our teen population and kill more teenagers than drugs, alcohol, suicide, and homicides combined (Thompson, 2010).

DEMOGRAPHICS Highest incidence of distracted drivers occurs in the under-20 age group (Madden and Lenhart, 2009). Licensed teen drivers in highschool (O’Brien, Goodwin, and Foss, 2010). Aged (O’Brien, Goodwin, and Foss, 2010) (Madden and Lenhart, 2009). Boys and girls are equally likely to report texting behind the wheel (Madden and Lenhart, 2009).

CULTURAL DESCRIPTORS THAT IMPACT HEALTH Inexperienced drivers Generally are not knowledgeable of what is and what is not safe to do while driving (O’Brien, Goodwin, and Foss, 2010). Neurocognitive Development Prefrontal cortex of brain is still developing until mid-20’s. This area of brain is vital to impulse control, decision making, understanding consequences, organizing thoughts, and maintaining attention and focus – everything we need to be safe drivers (Madden and Lenhart, 2009). Adolescents are capable of recognizing and understanding risks but unable to act in accordance to with this understanding (O’Brien, Goodwin, Foss, 2010). “They just don’t get it” (Madden and Lenhart, 2009).

HEALTH BELIEF MODEL: THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR States that a person’s attitude toward a behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are all factors that influence a person’s intentions and behaviors (Pender, Murdaugh, & Parsons, 2011, p ). Source: g.html#null-link

PLAN OF ACTION Our Mission: To reduce the number of high school drivers that report that they text while driving by raising awareness of the risks and dangers. Our Objectives: By March 2015, to increase by 30% the self-reporting of high school teenage drivers that do not text and drive.

PLAN OF ACTION: STEP 1 OF 5 Action Step 1: Gather at least 100 behavioral survey responses from high school drivers that own cell phones from each of five area high schools, and calculate the data gathered from surveys. Person(s) Responsible: Kasha Martin, Jamie Paiva, Marsha Thomas, and Brandie Zimmerman Date to be Completed: April 2014 Resources Required: $1,500 for printing costs Potential Barriers or Resistance: Teens being reluctant to take survey/answering truthfully for fear of getting in trouble (must reinforce that surveys are completely confidential) Collaborators: High school administrators and high school students that drive and own cell phones.

PLAN OF ACTION: STEP 2 OF 5 Action Step 2: Securing printed educational materials. Person Responsible: Kasha Martin Date to be Completed: May 2014 Resources Required: $7,000 for printing costs Potential Barriers or Resistance: None Collaborators: Casey Anderson Feldman Foundation and the NHTSA

PLAN OF ACTION: STEP 3 OF 5 Action Step 3: Find guest speaker(s) (a victim of texting and driving/someone who personally caused harm to others by texting and driving) Person Responsible: Jamie Paiva Date to be Completed: June 2014 Resources Required: Internet and phone access Potential Barriers or Resistance: Potential speaker not having time to participate in all assemblies/not willing to speak in public (stage fright) (must convince of the importance of topic and their ability to save lives!) Collaborators: Guest speaker(s)

PLAN OF ACTION: STEP 4 OF 5 Action Step 4: Create a minute presentation to be performed in high school assemblies. Person Responsible: Marsh Thomas Date to be Completed: August 2014 Resources Required: None Potential Barriers or Resistance: Potential speaker not having time to participate in all assemblies/not willing to speak in public (stage fright) (must convince of the importance and their ability to save lives!) Collaborators: Guest speaker(s)

PLAN OF ACTION: STEP 5 OF 5 Action Step 5: Secure time slots for presenting and handing out educational material during high school assemblies, then perform presentations. Person Responsible: Brandie Zimmerman Date to be Completed: June 2014 through February 2015 Resources Required: Internet and phone access Potential Barriers or Resistance: High schools not having time available during their assemblies to accommodate presentation (must convince them of importance of topic and the safety of their students and anyone on the road/negotiate to reduce time of presentation) Collaborators: High school administrators

PLAN OF ACTION: EVALUATE Hand out same behavioral surveys from the year prior to at least 100 high school drivers that own cell phones from each of the same five area high schools, and calculate the data gathered from surveys. Compare 2014 data to 2015 data.

REFERENCES Community Tool Box. (2013). A model for getting started. Retrieved from Madden, M., & Lenhart, A. (2009). Teens and distracted driving: Texting, talking and other uses of the cell phone behind the wheel. Pew Research Institute. Retrieved from Distracted-Driving.aspx. Distracted-Driving.aspx O’Brien, N., Goodwin, A., & Foss, R. D. (2010). Talking and texting among teenage drivers: A glass half empty or half full? Traffic Injury Prevnetion, 11, doi

REFERENCES Pender, N., Murdaugh, C., & Parsons, M. A. (2011). Health promotion in nursing practice. (6 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Thompson, R. (2010). What’s really hurting our kids? The school nurse role in preventing teen vehicle fatalities. NASN School Nurse, 25(4), doi / X