Damit es auch der letzte schnallt

Our Nudge consists of a specially developed belt protector for truck drivers. This belt protector combines increased comfort with a motivational message to encourage drivers to buckle up regularly. It is designed to sustainably increase seatbelt use through positive reinforcement.

What does the topic mean?

The current road safety situation for truck drivers in Germany is alarming. Despite mandatory seat belt use and comprehensive safety regulations, the rate of seat belt use among truck drivers remains inadequate, leading to serious consequences.
According to statistics from the Federal Statistical Office, truck accidents often have serious consequences. These accidents are often more serious than accidents involving other vehicles, mainly due to the size and mass of trucks. Drivers and passengers of HGVs are particularly at risk of suffering serious injuries or even death if they are not wearing their seat belts.
The consequences of low seat belt use are tragic and costly, both in human and economic terms. In order to reduce the number of accident victims and increase road safety, targeted measures are needed to make buckling up more attractive and natural for truck drivers.

Goal of the nudge

The current road safety situation for truck drivers in Germany is alarming. Despite mandatory seat belt use and comprehensive safety regulations, the rate of seat belt use among truck drivers remains inadequate, leading to serious consequences.
According to statistics from the Federal Statistical Office, truck accidents often have serious consequences. These accidents are often more serious than accidents involving other vehicles, mainly due to the size and mass of trucks. Drivers and passengers of HGVs are particularly at risk of suffering serious injuries or even death if they are not wearing their seat belts.
The consequences of low seat belt use are tragic and costly, both in human and economic terms. In order to reduce the number of accident victims and increase road safety, targeted measures are needed to make buckling up more attractive and natural for truck drivers.

    Needs analysis

    • Seat belts safe lives
      Statistics from the Federal Statistical Office show that truck accidents often have serious consequences. A large proportion of these accidents end tragically because drivers and passengers are not wearing seat belts. According to DEKRA, around 20% of truck drivers do not wear seat belts, which leads to an increased number of fatalities and serious injuries. According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), around 200 road deaths and around 1,500 serious injuries could be avoided each year if the seatbelt use rate was 100%.

    Cause analysis

    • Feature Positive Bias

      People tend to give more weight to the presence of positive features than the absence of negative features. This means that truck drivers may pay less attention to the benefits of wearing a seatbelt (e.g. safety) because these are not always obvious, especially if they have never been involved in an accident. For example, a driver might prioritize the positive aspects of driving without a seatbelt (e.g. no uncomfortable cutting by the belt) over the potentially negative consequences of an accident.

    • Overconfidence Bias

      This bias describes the tendency to overestimate one's own abilities and knowledge. Truck drivers may believe that they are so experienced and skilled at driving that they do not need a seatbelt. Experienced drivers in particular can greatly underestimate the risk of accidents due to their belief in their own abilities.

    • Optimism Bias

      People have a tendency to believe that they are less likely to experience negative events than other people. Truck drivers may therefore think that they are less likely to be involved in an accident than others. Drivers are well aware that accidents happen, but assume that they personally follow a driving style that would not cause concer

    • Non-Compliance

      This describes deliberately ignoring or not following rules or regulations. Truck drivers may decide not to fasten their seat belts for a variety of reasons, even if they know it is the law. The feeling of lack of freedom of movement or forced discomfort are driving factors here. Furthermore, some drivers may also have an intrinsic aversion to regulations and oppose them on principle.

Target Group

This nudge is primarily aimed at truck drivers and their well-being.
However, other stakeholders come into play in the event of potential implementation.
Labor unions and professional associations could benefit greatly.
Freight forwarding and logistics companies, as well as manufacturers of commercial vehicles, who can also distribute these accessories, are also quite direct.
Even insurance companies could have an interest in offering the safety products to their customers in order to minimize the risk and damage in the event of accidents.

Added value of the nudge

  • Increased comfort of the belt makes wearing the seat belt more pleasant, especially on long journeys. This reduces discomfort and increases acceptance of the belt. As a result, truck drivers are more likely to be encouraged to buckle up, which drastically reduces the risk of serious injury in the event of an accident. All this is characterized by a motivating slogan, which will have a positive impact on safety awareness.

CONTACT US

Alissa Awender

alissa.awender@stud.hshl.de

Lara-Marie Bungers

Lara-marie.bungers@stud.hshl.de

Yannis Eichele

Yannis.eichele@stud.hshl.de

Luca Leon Spenner

luca-leon.spenner@stud.hshl.de