PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

When Michigan’s standard enforcement safety belt law went into effect on March 10, 2000, it was imperative that the state adopt a compelling campaign name accompanied by a comprehensive publicity strategy to alert motorists of the impending law change. Several slogans and artwork renditions were focus group tested. These sessions focused on groups with historically low belt use – pick up truck drivers, young men, and African Americans.

Overwhelmingly, each group chose the Click it or Ticket campaign theme. The campaign and the law change met with phenomenal success. In just a few short weeks after the new law took effect, belt use rose from 70 percent to 83.5 percent. The next challenge was to maintain the dramatically higher belt use number in the months that followed.

The results of the annual direct observation survey show that safety belt use remains lowest among young men, pickup truck drivers, and all motorists in Wayne County (including the City of Detroit). In addition, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) uses crash data to determine the counties that will receive funding for overtime enforcement, focusing funds where crash problems are greatest.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals of Click it or Ticket were to:

• Continue high levels of campaign name recognition among Michigan motorists;

• Maintain the high level of safety belt use achieved through the law change and public information campaign push in the spring of 2000; and

• Utilize Click it or Ticket exclusively for all safety belt enforcement activities to build on the campaign’s high name recognition and positive public perception.

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

In order to achieve the goals, OHSP implemented the following strategies and activities:

• Required that all OHSP-funded enforcement of the state’s safety belt laws take place under the Click it or Ticket name.

• Supported enforcement agency activities with Click it or Ticket materials. A binder of generic news releases, public service announcement scripts and other materials was provided to all project directors. Grantees received Click it or Ticket banners and Click it or Ticket donated billboards went up in late summer.

• Purchased radio advertising to coincide with increased enforcement activities. Radio stations targeted low belt user groups. Radio advertising took place in November 2000 and over Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends in 2001.

• Conduct news events to highlight enforcement activities. In November, five different news events were planned to bring attention to the stepped up enforcement of drunk drivers and child passenger safety laws. A single event was held in May before Memorial Day at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, bringing in Operation CARE and AAA Michigan. A final event was scheduled at the Michigan State Fair in Detroit just before the start of the Labor Day weekend, highlighting the need for extra caution during the busy travel weekend.

RESULTS

The results of the 2001 direct observation survey that was started over the Labor Day weekend were most promising. The survey showed that belt use in Michigan was at 82.3 percent. In addition, the annual telephone awareness survey showed that 27 percent of people could recall the Click it or Ticket campaign without prompting. Click it or Ticket also is the campaign name that stands out the most. In fact, 38 percent of the people surveyed said they remembered it more than the other traffic safety campaigns. People also like the slogan and understand what it means.

   SPRING 2002