The scripts are available for printing and for sound bite identification.
Go to http://www.wichita.edu/newsline to get the current Wichita State University Newsline. If you cannot access the Newsline at the Web address above, contact Joe Kleinsasser at (316) 978-3013 or joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu. Newsline cuts may be edited to suit your needs. If you have additional questions for Les Anderson after listening to the WSU Newsline, please contact him at (316) 978-6065 or les.anderson@wichita.edu.
Background:
Les Anderson is a communications expert at Wichita State University and a member of a research team overseeing a teen driving study. Researchers with the Kansas Teen Driver Research and Education Project interviewed 1,000 families with teens to identify beliefs and opinions regarding teen drivers. Anderson explains the survey and some of the results. The project is a collaborative effort of AAA Kansas, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Turnpike Authority, Kansas Health Foundation, Sunflower Foundation, Wichita State University’s Elliott School of Communication and the University of North Carolina Center for the Study of Young Drivers.
Voice wrap:
Announcer: Research has shown that the leading cause of death among teenagers is traffic accidents. Les Anderson, a communications expert at Wichita State University, is a member of a research team overseeing a teen driving study.
Anderson: “The survey involved interviews with a thousand families, parents and their teen drivers who are 16 and 17 and gone through the driving instruction period, about what they thought were some of the problems when they were learning to drive and how the teens also felt about that.”
Announcer: Anderson says parents are concerned about a number of driving situations or conditions they think are risky for their teenage driver — driving with cell phones, driving in bad weather, driving with young passengers and nighttime driving. This is Joe Kleinsasser at Wichita State University.
Sound bite #1
Anderson says the results of the study may lead to the passage of a new bill in the Kansas Legislature. The sound bite is 26 seconds and the outcue is “unrestricted license.”
Anderson: “This is a bill that is now in the Legislature and would raise the age at which most Kansans can get a learner’s permit from 14 to 15, although 14-year-olds could still get farm work permits and they could drive with adult supervision. It also raises the age for a restricted license from 15 to 16, and then there’s a six-month period after a young driver turns 16, instead of automatically getting an unrestricted license.”
Sound bite #2
Anderson explains why a change in teen driving laws is attractive to many teens and their parents. The sound bite is 18 seconds and the outcue is “in driving.”
Anderson: “Research has shown, and statistics back up the fact, that the leading cause of death among teenagers is traffic accidents, and the idea here is to help give these young drivers more structure, more instruction at a little later stage in life before they’re unrestricted in driving.”
Sound bite #3
Anderson says a safety video is being developed for parents and teen drivers. The sound bite is 13 seconds and the outcue is “learn to drive.”
Anderson: “Kevin Hager, who teaches with me in the Elliott School, and I are working on a safety video for parents and teen drivers about how they can be more safe when they drive or when they start to learn to drive.”
Sound bite #4
Anderson explains the range of topics covered in the survey. The sound bite is 15 seconds and the outcue is “teen driver safety.”
Anderson: “Questions on the survey covered a range of topics and they generally focused on parents concerned about young driver safety in the state, their experiences and actions as their teenager began to drive, and their beliefs and opinions regarding ways to address teen driver safety.”
Sound bite #5
Anderson said teen drivers and their parents generally approve of a graduated driver’s license system. The sound bite is 16 seconds and the outcue is “as do their parents.”
Anderson: “So far we have only the adult or parent surveys tallied, but we do have one segment of the teenage driver surveys back and that, surprisingly somewhat, they approve of a graduated driver’s license system as do their parents.”
Sound bite #6
Anderson looks at some of the concerns that parents see as risky for their teen drivers. The sound bite is 13 seconds and the outcue is “nighttime driving.”
Anderson: “Among the concerns of parents about driving situations or conditions that they think are risky for their teenage driver — cell phones and bad weather and passengers were at the top of the list along with nighttime driving.”