It is an example of how technology and education can work together to change social norms and encourage safer behavior on the road.
Check, the scooter sharing provider, has taken a new step to increase road safety by launching the Safety Lock function in their app. This innovation, developed in collaboration with TeamAlert, an organization focused on the road safety of young people, allows users to temporarily block their app for vehicle reservations. This initiative comes in response to worrying statistics about drink-driving on shared scooters, especially among young people.
The urgency of this development is underlined by a recent survey by TeamAlert, which showed that more than a quarter of young scooter sharing users (up to 24 years old) admit to sometimes driving a scooter under the influence. These findings were reinforced by a national increase in alcohol and drug use in traffic in 2022, with a 37,4% increase in fines issued. These alarming figures have prompted Check to take action.
The Safety Lock is not only a technological solution, but also an educational tool. Users who wish to deactivate the lock must first watch a tutorial on the consequences of drunk driving. This initiative is supported by a targeted communication campaign by Check, which is divided into three periods according to SWOV research. The campaign aims to make users aware of the risks of drink driving and encourage them to activate the lock.
“There is a social norm among some users that driving under the influence on a shared scooter is normal. By coming up with a new feature to prevent drunk driving on shared scooters, Check sends a strong message that this behavior is not okay. In the environment of young people, friends are very important in creating a safe social norm. Because the Safety Lock encourages users to share the feature with their friends, this social norm is reinforced.”
Saar Hadders from TeamAlert emphasizes the important role of the Safety Lock in creating a safe social norm among young people. According to her, the function helps young people to make a safe choice before drinking alcohol and sharing the function with friends stimulates positive social pressure. Users who want to use a shared scooter on Friday or Saturday night between 23.00 p.m. and 06.00 a.m. must first watch a tutorial about the consequences of driving under the influence.
Photo: Check Pressroom
