Social Media as a tool for Safe Driving: The Three F’s

Dangerous driving is a troubling problem that we see in our society. The choices of one driver can have malicious impacts on not only individuals, but on their loved ones and on our general societal experience. Many drivers can have dangerous driving methods, but teenagers who are starting off their driving careers often feel as though the rules do not apply to them. When I was a young driver, I, among many of my friends, often felt as though the information I was learning in my driver’s education classes were not pertinent to me.

Teenagers learn how dangerous it can be to be on social media or texting while driving, but like in many other fields, teens often feel like they are unique in facing the repercussions of their actions. Driver Education is something that falls under the responsibility of our who society, even though we often see it formalized within high schools. Enacting a nationwide social media campaign focusing on the 3 F’s of safe driving (Focused, Familiar, and Flexible) will ensure that teens understand the importance of being safe drivers.

Being a focused driver is the antithesis of being a distracted driver, which is one of the largest causes of car accidents. A focused driver knows what they are doing, and puts all their attention on keeping themselves, their passengers, and other people safe during their drives. They also make sure to watch out for anything unusual on the road, making them less likely to spend time on social media while driving.

A familiar driver knows the normal terrain of wherever they are driving, whether it be a local route or somewhere new. For teenagers, it is important for them to become familiar with the roads they are driving on, so that they decrease the risk of dangerous driving habits. For newer routes, it is important for drivers to research the paths they will take taking prior to driving them, or at least to be focused on gaining familiarity while driving.

A flexible driver aims to avoid any dangerous risks while driving, as they have an open mindset. If there is someone who is trying to aggressively enter your lane, it is the flexible choice to allow them to merge, as your choice to be flexible can keep you safe. A flexible driver also watches out for construction and changes in route and puts a priority on safety instead of speed.

These 3 F’s are easy to understand and are persuasive to the message of road safety. Integrating this branding into a multimedia social media and educational campaign would be essential to getting the message of safe driving out to teenagers all around the world.

Social media platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram, and Twitter are often used by teenagers, and often contain short videos that are intriguing to audiences. Creating short videos focusing on each of the 3 F’s would be an effective way to spread the message.

Mixing different methods of transmitting the message would be important in attracting many different teenage audiences. Some teenagers may be more interested in watching comedic videos that show how absurd it is to focus on social media while driving, while others may prefer to see emotional videos of people impacted by dangerous driving habits. In addition to these topical changes, it is important to have a diverse set of individuals and groups promoting this message. Social media influencers and non-profit organizations could have a large impact on the promotion of the message on social media, whereas school counselors and teachers could support this campaign in the classroom. Oftentimes, the resources used in driver’s education programs in high schools are detached from the realities and interests of students. Using the resources created from the social media campaign will make sure that students are engaged in their learning experiences, which will open them up to reflect on the importance of safe driving practices. The three F’s could also be echoed by driver’s education courses, as the first couple times a student drives can have a serious impact on their future driving abilities. Using these 3 easily digestible concepts will help students focus on the most important aspects of safe driving.

Teenagers use social media negatively when they choose to drive and scroll, but an effective marketing strategy would meet them where they are, which would be through the various social media platforms. Conducting a nationwide safe driving initiative will ensure that the drivers of today and tomorrow will prioritize the security of themselves and others when they are behind the wheel.