Curbing distracted driving through persuasion

Improving safety by promoting uptake of phone projection

Leveraging the communication science & theory behind persuasion and social influence, we designed a campaign to dissuades distracted driving. Our solution is unique in that it isn’t just a warning; it points people to a better option that they already have: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Drivers can stay connected with their media and communications, on a driving-safety-optimized UX cast onto the infotainment screen.

Balance theory changes attitudes

In the framework of balance theory, connectivity (phones) and safe driving are mutually exclusive, forcing people to juggle prioritizing one or the other. People know they shouldn’t use phones at the wheel, but they do anyway because of smartphone addiction and a perceived lack of alternate safe options.

We reconcile this by introducing Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, two projection apps that put the phone’s key features on modern cars’ built-in screen in a easy-to-use, low-effort, and proven safer way.

Contextualizing the risk, and communicating the solution

Our campaign to build adoption is two-fold. First, an advertising effort will remind people of the harms of cell phones. These include legal and cultural disapproval (injunctive and descriptive norms, respectively), as well as deadly consequences, expressed in a personally relevant way (identifiable victim effect.) And, we offer an attainable, effective solution to avoid them in CarPlay / Auto (extended parallel process model).

Leveraging reciprocity to build safe habits

Second, we proposed partnerships that explioit reciprocity—when people receive something, they’re incentivized to give something. We can track and incentivize screen-off time / projection usage using software on the phone. From there, various incentive models like PocketPoints or in insurance plug-in programs like Snapshot can encourage the safe habit of using screen projection.