Changing behaviors to reduce the impact of vehicle leaks
Presentation Abstract
The Don’t Drip and Drive program addresses an important source of pollution in the Puget Sound region – vehicles that leak fluids and cause significant water quality impairments. From 2013-2015 the Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities (STORM) network and partners developed and implemented a behavior change program to improve vehicle owners awareness of leaks and motivate them to fix their leaks. Two campaign phases were run in 2013 and 2014, with the second phase building on lessons learned during the pilot. The following key components have been incorporated into the program:
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Campaign Promotion: Online, radio and social media advertising across the region and localized advertising promoted by campaign partners promote campaign messages and direct our target audience to a resource website.
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Events: Leak check events to identify leaking vehicles, promote repairing leaks and testing different intervention strategies for effectiveness.
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Partnering with repair shops: Free leak inspections and discounted repairs are provided by partnering repair shops.
-
Workshops: Free auto leaks inspection workshops at technical training centers taught by mechanic instructors that provide information about vehicle maintenance, with a focus on leak repair.
Campaign goals are to build vehicle owners’ awareness of their vehicle leak and increase their likelihood of repairing it within three months. The program’s long-term goal is to change social norms so that people value finding and fixing vehicle leaks.
The campaign adopted a social marketing approach to design a program that makes it easier for vehicle owners to fix leaks. This includes minimizing barriers that impeded their ability to repair their vehicle and using motivating messages that emphasize the benefits of making repairs that resonate with vehicle owners. In the first two phases of the campaign, goals were reached and often exceeded. More than 8,000 vehicles received free inspections and an estimated 1,669 vehicles were repaired.
Session Title
Moving beyond education and outreach to behavior change
Conference Track
Engagement
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Motor vehicles--Environmental aspects--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Region; Water--Pollution potential--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Region; Motor vehicle drivers--Washington (State)--Puget Sound Region--Attitudes
Geographic Coverage
Washington (State); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Changing behaviors to reduce the impact of vehicle leaks
2016SSEC
The Don’t Drip and Drive program addresses an important source of pollution in the Puget Sound region – vehicles that leak fluids and cause significant water quality impairments. From 2013-2015 the Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities (STORM) network and partners developed and implemented a behavior change program to improve vehicle owners awareness of leaks and motivate them to fix their leaks. Two campaign phases were run in 2013 and 2014, with the second phase building on lessons learned during the pilot. The following key components have been incorporated into the program:
-
Campaign Promotion: Online, radio and social media advertising across the region and localized advertising promoted by campaign partners promote campaign messages and direct our target audience to a resource website.
-
Events: Leak check events to identify leaking vehicles, promote repairing leaks and testing different intervention strategies for effectiveness.
-
Partnering with repair shops: Free leak inspections and discounted repairs are provided by partnering repair shops.
-
Workshops: Free auto leaks inspection workshops at technical training centers taught by mechanic instructors that provide information about vehicle maintenance, with a focus on leak repair.
Campaign goals are to build vehicle owners’ awareness of their vehicle leak and increase their likelihood of repairing it within three months. The program’s long-term goal is to change social norms so that people value finding and fixing vehicle leaks.
The campaign adopted a social marketing approach to design a program that makes it easier for vehicle owners to fix leaks. This includes minimizing barriers that impeded their ability to repair their vehicle and using motivating messages that emphasize the benefits of making repairs that resonate with vehicle owners. In the first two phases of the campaign, goals were reached and often exceeded. More than 8,000 vehicles received free inspections and an estimated 1,669 vehicles were repaired.
