Adolescent and parent dyad perceptions on the utility and implementation ability to use cellphone-based technology to reduce distracted driving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

INTRODUCTION: Losing focus while driving, including cellphone-based distractions (phone calls, text messages, other apps), is a prominent problem for adolescent drivers. Internal cellphone-based technologies designed to reduce distractions are prominent, but little is known about how parents and their children feel about their ability to successfully reduce distracted driving. This study interviews parents and adolescents to understand the utility and what is needed for implementation of these technologies. METHODS: Twenty (20) adolescent-parent dyads participated in semistructured qualitative interviews. Participants reflected adolescent drivers and their parents who previously had been documented as ranging from 'very low' risk drivers to 'very high' risk drivers. RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) Cellphone-based technologies can be feasibly implemented as distracted driving interventions. (2) Cellphone-based technologies can be a learning tool for newly licensed adolescent drivers to form better habits. (3) Cellphone-based technologies by themselves are not sufficient for long-term behaviour change. CONCLUSIONS: Cellphone-based technologies have their purpose, especially for younger drivers, to help form good habits and reduce distractions. By themselves, they are not going to be the reason for eliminating distracted driving in adolescents or have long-term behaviour change. They can be most successful when combined with other interventions aimed at reducing distracted driving.