Abstract:

Road traffic accidents are the main cause of death in Mexican youngsters from 15 to 24 years old. Each year 3757 youngsters die and thousands more are severely incapacitated. Young men die three times more than young females. Number of victims will duplicate by 2020 if different urgent measures are not implemented (normative, educational, etc.). After seven years of research with youngster’s, a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the National Institute of Public Health designed a quasi experimental study including a first measurement focused in knowledge, attitude and behavior in youngsters, an educational intervention and a final measurement in order to identify impact. Intervention consisted in an interactive five session workshop to work with youngsters in schools in order to modify attitude and final behavior while driving or traveling in a motorized vehicle. Main purpose is that students can take adequate decisions at the correct moments in order to protect themselves and their friends. Combining affective method with rational one and allowing youngsters to work in different levels (individual reflection, discussion in small teams and with the entire group) students are exposed to the scientific data, watch and discuss videos (some specially produced for the workshop), listen to young survivors testimonies and interact with them, design social communication material (posters, prevention phrases and short sketch play lively) and make self protection compromises related to the five risk factors in which the workshop is focused (use of seatbelt, not excess of passengers, respect of speed limits, not drinking and driving and not use of distracters –mobile phones, music devices, makeup while driving, etc.). All material was designed and tested with youngsters and a special site in Facebook allows them to follow up activities and materials. Preliminary results indicate that in a sample of 250 students workshop is very well evaluated, especially videos, testimonies and sketch. Students are able to make compromises mostly focused in seatbelt use and not excess of passengers. There has also been an impact on teachers’ community and parents and families. Next step is to organize short workshops with parents. Some schools are interested in training their teachers following this constructive strategy. We believe this strategy might be use with youngsters in order to work different issues.

Keywords:

Educational intervention, road traffic accidents prevention, youngsters.