Peer programs to reduce drink riding

4/2/2016

Compendium of Best Practices on Motorcycle and Scooter Safety

Home | Economies | Issues | Safety Interventions | Case Studies | Links | About

Case Studies Peer programs to reduce drink riding (USA) The impairing effect of alcohol on road user performance is well­documented, with studies revealing reductions in user vigilance, vision, psychomotor skills, information processing and divided attention, which places individuals at a greater crash risk. Analyses of fatal crashes support the contribution of alcohol to the high fatality rate for motorcycles. In the United States, a number of programs have focused attention on peers (fellow riders) and family to reduce impaired driving and riding. For some time now researchers have recognised the difficulties in appealing to alcohol­impaired drivers themselves to reduce impaired­driving (A.J. McKnight, 1990). This case study demonstrates how information was collected to inform the development of the programs, how they were implemented and how they were evaluated. The Evaluation Report, Instructors' Guide and Student Guide can be downloaded from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated research where the emphasis was placed on obtaining riders' opinions of strategies to address drinking and riding (Becker, McKnight, Nelkin & Piper, 2003). The research aimed to assess attitudes and beliefs regarding drinking and riding and obtain ideas about effective methods of reducing impaired riding and resulting crashes. Focus groups were conducted, 20 groups across 5 U.S. cities, and they comprised of members of motorcycle communities (rider groups and leadership groups). The focus groups found that: 1. "riders often discourage their peers from riding after drinking, but a culturally reinforced respect for rider freedom and individual responsibility set boundaries for peer actions; 2. rider concern for the safety and security of the motorcycle nearly always overshadows concern for individual safety and contributes to drinking and riding; and 3. motorcycle impoundment and court­ordered payment of costs for vehicle storage, alcohol treatment programs, and other costs are considered persuasive countermeasures" (Becker et al., 2003, Technical Report Documentation Page).

As a result of the findings of the focus groups, NHTSA contracted the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE) to conduct the motorcycle safety training program 'Riders Helping Riders' (RHR). This was based on the findings that riders tend to view http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/APEC/case_studies/USA_drink_riding.html

1/2

4/2/2016

Compendium of Best Practices on Motorcycle and Scooter Safety

themselves as a community of people that look out for each other but for various reasons, riders are hesitant to intervene in the drinking and riding behaviour of their peers. The program's intent was to communicate to riders the extent of the drinking and riding problem; the need for riders to intervene in the drinking and riding behaviour of their peers; and communicate tools that riders can use to help prevent the drinking and riding of their peers (McKnight, Becker, Tippetts & Hohn, 2009). RHR was developed with the assistance of instructors from the South Carolina Rider Education Program and pilot tested by instructors of Georgia's Department of Driver Services, Motorcycle Safety Program.

The 'Riders Helping Riders' program was included in all motorcycle instruction conducted in the state of Georgia for one year (2005­2006). The 'RHR' message to intervene in drinking and riding of peers was also broadcast via press releases and various media outlets. The 'RHR' program was designed to stand alone and not to replace alcohol related messages in other training programs. The 'RHR' training was approximately 30 minutes in length and included: “discussion of the problem of drinking and riding and the importance of intervening, followed by techniques for separating drinking from riding, discouraging riders from becoming impaired, recognizing impairment, and discouraging impaired riders from riding. It ends with an attempt to have participants pledge to intervene in drinking and riding in the future.

An optional role­playing module offers participants an opportunity to practice applying the information they have learned and to become comfortable with taking steps to intervene” (McKnight, Becker, Tippetts & Hohn, 2009, p.198).

The effectiveness of the 'RHR' program was evaluated using a pre­test/post­test questionnaire of students and a time­series analysis of Georgia's crash data, with a comparison to California's crash data. The results indicated students were positively influenced by the 'RHR' program. The greatest change in willingness to intervene was for riders unknown to the intervening rider and the least change was associated with willingness to intervene with those closest to the intervener. A large change was reported for willingness to plan and observe riders for signs of impairment (McKnight, Becker, Tippetts & Hohn, 2009). The authors suggest the program successfully communicated the notion that riders can and do help other riders based on membership in the riding community. The results of the time series analysis of the crash data were inconclusive.

References Becker, L. R., McKnight, A. S., Nelkin, V. S., & Piper, D. L. (2003). Drinking, riding and prevention: A focus group study (No. DOT HS 809 490). Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

McKnight, A.J. (1990). Intervention with alcohol­impaired drivers by peers, parents and purveyors of alcohol. National Public Services Research Institute, Public Services Research, 8201 Corporate Drive Landover, MD 20785, USA. McKnight, A. S., Becker, L. R., Tippetts, A. S., & Hohn, R. L. (2009). Impaired motorcycle operation: Evaluation of riders helping riders program. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2140, 188­194.

© APEC 2011 sitemap

http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/APEC/case_studies/USA_drink_riding.html

2/2