PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Aggressive driving continues to be a serious issue in New Jersey, garnering significant attention from the news media in New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia. In an effort to improve motorists' driving behavior, the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety used National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Section 402 grant funds to launch Drive Friendly, a paid media campaign during 1999. This ongoing statewide public information and education campaign promotes courteous driving. A variety of public service announcements and paid advertisements were aired on radio stations from May through July 2000, and 32 billboards around the state advertised Drive Friendly in May and June. The radio ads were aired during traffic reports on 20 local stations, and posters were displayed at toll booths.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Because the Drive Friendly campaign uses Section 402 grant funds, an evaluation of the program is required. Specific objectives of the evaluation are to:

• Provide an assessment of the effects of the program on motorists' knowledge, attitudes, or actions
• Enlist the assistance of the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR), University at Albany, State University of New York
• Develop a survey instrument to use in a statewide telephone survey of New Jersey licensed drivers
• Analyze survey data and prepare a report

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In 2000, ITSMR drafted a survey instrument in consultation with the Division of Highway Traffic Safety. The survey was designed primarily to determine the exposure of New Jersey drivers to the educational campaign, and to assess potential effects of the program on driving behaviors. It included key concepts from the campaign. A statewide random sample of New Jersey households was generated, and licensed New Jersey drivers age 17 or older were selected for survey participation. Prior to survey initiation, a pre-test of the questionnaire was conducted via telephone. The pre-test allowed for testing of the questionnaire's length and understandability, assuring that all questions are appropriate and unambiguous. Computer-assisted telephone interviews were then conducted with 500 licensed New Jersey drivers. To increase the response rate and minimize non-response error and self-selection response bias, respondents were guaranteed anonymity for their participation in this research. As a result, the response rate was 91 percent.

Responses to key questions were examined for differences among regions of the state: North Jersey (the counties of Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Hudson, Essex, Sussex, Warren and Union); Central Jersey (Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties); and South Jersey (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, Cape May and Atlantic counties).

RESULTS
Almost half (46 percent) of survey respondents indicated that aggressive driving represents a major problem on the roads they drive. A total of 36 percent said they see someone driving in a dangerously aggressive manner every day.

Almost one-quarter of the respondents were aware of the Drive Friendly campaign through billboards, radio advertisements and newspapers. Of these, 69 percent found the information provided by the program to be useful, and 30 percent indicated that it resulted in positive changes in their driving habits.

New Jersey drivers strongly support the concept of the Drive Friendly campaign. Ninety two percent of those interviewed believe that more friendly or courteous driving habits can reduce stress and anger on the roads, and 87 percent agree that it is a good idea for the state to conduct such a campaign.

FALL 2000