This application proposes the development of an interactive, multimedia program called Accident Scene, an impaired driving prevention tool for high school students. The need for this product arises from the continuing trends toward increased alcohol and marijuana use and high risk driving in adolescents, despite the expansion of impaired driving laws. Prevention and driving experts suggest that programs need to target high risk adolescents, who are disproportionately involved in impaired driving episodes. To address this need, the current application combines state-of-the-art substance use prevention guidelines, developmental research related to sensation seeking, and advances in multimedia technology to develop a practical tool for improving impaired driving prevention in high school students. The program will be delivered through an engaging mystery format, and include informational printouts, class activities, and take- home tasks to be completed with parents. Accident Scene will encourage teenagers, parents, and teachers to make impaired driving prevention a prominent health topic. Phase I will yield a technical plan for the CD-ROM, an annotated script, a design of the teacher manual, and creation and usability testing of an Accident Scene demo. Phase II will include a three- and six- month follow-up of teenagers and parents exposed to the program.
The proposed program will provide targeted, computer-administered interventions to facilitate impaired driving prevention for adolescents. Despite the expansion of laws and penalties for impaired driving, prevention programs tailored to high risk adolescents have generally been unavailable or ineffective. This program could be marketed to school systems and local government agencies, but may also be of interest to insurance, automobile, and tire companies. Accident Scene, if shown to demonstrate efficacy, will be of enormous value in preventing impaired driving morbidity and mortality among high risk drivers. In addition, the commercial potential of such a program would be extraordinary.
