Insight.
Understanding the underlying drivers of human behaviour.
Understanding the underlying drivers of human behaviour is key to crafting effective strategies, communications, services and interventions.
The following case study is a great example of this.
Case Study :
Behavioural Audit for Speed Reduction on Rural Roads.
Warwickshire County Council (WCC).
Summary
This case study illustrates how SoMoCo undertook a behavioural audit to uncover insights into speeding behaviour in Warwickshire.
These insights laid the groundwork for strategic interventions aimed at reducing speed-related collisions, aligning with WCC’s broader goal of a 50% reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.
Context
Warwickshire’s rural roads have been identified as particularly hazardous, with 64% of fatal collisions occurring on these roads.
Recognising the need to address speeding behaviour as a critical component of their road safety strategy, WCC engaged SoMoCo to conduct a behavioural audit focused on identifying the key factors driving speeding on rural roads and to propose interventions that could effectively mitigate these risks.
Behavioural Analysis
SoMoCo’s audit revealed behavioural patterns contributing to the prevalence of speeding on rural roads:
Overconfidence and Underestimation of Risk: Drivers, particularly young and inexperienced ones, often overestimate their driving abilities and underestimate the risks associated with rural roads.
Norms: The descriptive norm in Warwickshire is that most drivers speed when they feel it is safe to do so. This norm is compounded by the perception that speeding is a common behaviour, even though there is an injunctive norm that recognises speeding as wrong.
Lack of Information: Many drivers are unaware of the actual risks posed by rural roads, particularly the increased likelihood of serious injury or death in the event of a collision.
Strategy
Based on these insights, SoMoCo proposed several behavioural strategies to address speeding on rural roads:
Norm Shifting: Campaigns were designed to challenge the prevailing norm that speeding is acceptable under certain conditions. This included using persuasive messaging that appealed to drivers' self-concept as responsible and skilled, as well as leveraging social proof to highlight safe driving behaviours.
Use of Physical cues and nudges on stretches of road associated with high accident rates. These environmental modifications address the misleading cues that rural roads might inadvertently provide, which can create a false sense of security, leading drivers to feel it is safe to drive at speeds that are actually unsafe. The cues act as psychological nudges, prompting drivers to reduce speed, particularly in areas where the road design might suggest otherwise.
Addressing gaps in knowledge: Tailored messaging was recommended to increase drivers' awareness of the specific dangers of rural roads. This included providing localised statistics and utilising credible messengers to enhance the salience of the information.
Impact :
The behavioural audit provided Warwickshire County Council (WCC) with deep insights into the underlying drivers of speeding behaviour on rural roads. By identifying critical factors such as overconfidence, misleading environmental cues, and the prevailing social norms that tolerated speeding.
Recognising the value of these insights, WCC has engaged SoMoCo for follow-up work, specifically to design and implement behavioural interventions aimed at reducing speeding across the region. This follow-up work reflects WCC's commitment to leveraging behavioural science to create safer roads in Warwickshire.
