A new Massachusetts law prohibits drivers from making phone calls unless they use hands-free mode, and also prohibits the use of phones at stoplights. While the law is an important step forward, health communications expert Jay Winsten thinks that a multifaceted effort will be required to reduce distracted driving-related crashes.
Speaking on WGBH’s “Under the Radar with Callie Crossley” on February 21, 2020, Winsten said, “Until we change social norms, there’s no stigma connected with distracted driving. Law enforcement by itself cannot solve the problem.”
Winsten, associate dean for health communication and Frank Stanton Director of the Center for Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said that both cultural and technological change is needed to reduce distracted driving. In vehicles, technology for lane-centering, forward collision prevention, and blind spot detection can help, he said.
As for cultural change, Winsten suggested an emphasis on “attentive driving.” In surveys, most people say they believe that their own phone use while driving isn’t a problem because they are good at multitasking—but that they are afraid of other drivers. If drivers are urged to be more attentive, though, that means they will be less distracted, Winsten said.
It will also be important to mobilize passengers in cars, including children, to urge drivers not to use their phones, and to provide educational materials to local advocacy groups, Winsten said.
The Center is working on a national campaign to get drivers’ eyes off their phones, with an emphasis on social media. The campaign will also enlist the help of Hollywood and the music industry, Winsten said.
Listen to the WGBH “Under the Radar” episode: New Massachusetts Distracted Driving Bill Takes Effect This Weekend
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Social norm change needed to curb distracted driving (Harvard Chan School news)