Case study · Transport and travel
Evaluating Calderdale’s seatbelt safety campaign
A two-phase programme combined roadside surveys, school research, and focus groups to understand seatbelt behaviour before a campaign and evaluate its impact afterwards.
AudienceDrivers, passengers, schoolchildren, and residents across Calderdale
ApproachRoadside surveys, school surveys, and focus groups before and after the campaign
Value to Calderdale CouncilEvidence on campaign impact, behaviour change, and future targeting
The brief
- Calderdale Council wanted to increase seatbelt use through a campaign focused on children and families, ethnic minority communities, van drivers, and other people driving for work
- Enventure Research was commissioned to establish attitudes and behaviour before the campaign and then evaluate changes afterwards
The approach
- Pre-campaign research included 908 face-to-face roadside interviews, supported by West Yorkshire Police, with drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts
- A further 10,000 self-completion questionnaires were distributed to schoolchildren, alongside focus groups with adults and children to explore reasons for non-use and barriers to behaviour change
- After the campaign, schoolchildren were surveyed again and additional focus groups with children and adult residents explored awareness, response to campaign materials, and any changes in attitudes or behaviour
The outcome
- The research identified when and why people were least likely to wear seatbelts, what might encourage change and how factors such as parental responsibility, peer pressure, workplace policy, and cultural background influenced behaviour
- Post-campaign analysis assessed changes in awareness and attitudes, which messages were most effective and how future activity could be improved
- Calderdale Council used the findings to target further education, publicity, and enforcement. The results were subsequently used by the Department for Transport to benchmark a national study