La Loteria del Manejo Seguro
(Motor Vehicle Driver Safety)

CALIFORNIA

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS PROGRAM AREA(S)
  Targets hard-to-reach/at risk population   Public Information and Education
  Outstanding collaborative effort   Safe Communities
      Diversity
TYPE OF JURISDICTION    
  Multicounty    
       
TARGETED POPULATION(S) JURISDICTION SIZE
  Hispanic Population   2,883,092


PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
The fatality rate from motor vehicle crashes in California's Central Valley is more than three times greater than in any other part of California. In 1994, almost 35,000 people were injured or killed in the nine counties comprising the Central Valley. These counties include Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Tulare, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced and Yolo. The incidence of motor vehicle fatalities and injuries increases annually with the influx of migrant farm workers. Central Valley law enforcement personnel report that within this large migrant population many drivers neither speak English nor understand traffic laws. In fact, many drivers are unlicensed.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to reduce motor vehicle infractions, collisions, injuries and fatalities in the Central Valley, especially among non-English speaking farm workers, the University of California at Davis developed the La Loteria del Manejo Seguro (Motor Vehicle Driver Safety) educational outreach program in 1995. Specific objectives of the program are to:

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In the fall of 1995, a Central Valley migrant education high school group participated in a two-day training session conducted by Manejo Seguro staff. Here they learned to be effective trainers and how to use La Loteria del Manejo Seguro in their own community education programs. Further training sessions in Central Valley's migrant camps also took place throughout 1996.

Two mass media campaigns were developed for the program. The first distributed 18 public service announcements (PSAs) to coincide with National Farm Safety Week. The PSAs focused on impaired driving, safety belts, child safety restraints, speeding and open containers of alcohol. These were distributed to 99 Spanish radio stations throughout California. The second effort, titled Driver Safety Media Awareness campaign, targeted the Fresno area farm worker community. This four week campaign was conducted to increase awareness of safe driving practices in five Central Valley counties. It was presented through Spanish language radio and television stations, and two bilingual weekly newspapers. One facet of the campaign involved a Bingo-style game played on the radio and television as a means to teach safe driving behaviors. Game winners received child safety seats. Approximately 50,000 people were reached through the Driver Safety Media Awareness Campaign.

RESULTS
The La Loteria del Manejo Seguro driver safety education program has been presented at professional conferences, health fairs and regional meetings throughout California. The program was a recipient of the 1996 Nationwide Insurance award, "On Your Side Highway Safety Award".

La Loteria del Manejo Seguro was also presented at several motor vehicle festivals in 1996, where farm workers and families, labor contractors, growers, community leasers and community service organizations are brought together during the peak harvest season to learn about motor vehicle safety. Approximately 475 people participated in these festivals.

FUNDING
  Section 402:

$280,745

CONTACT  
  Jim Grieshop
University of California, Davis
Department of Human and Community
Development
Davis, CA 95616
(916) 752-3008


National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Summer 1997