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For Immediate Release

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Marie Lamoureaux, programs and special projects manager District Court Judges' Office, Judicial District 15B

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Orange County dangerous driving program wins national award

Harvard’s Ash Center recognizes program as “Bright Idea”

CHAPEL HILL — An Orange County court program designed to reduce dangerous driving attitudes and behavior has won a national award from the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

The program, Driver Empathy, targets offenders charged with aggressive driving — such as drunk driving, careless and reckless or excessive speeding. Using real-life examples pulled from obituaries, news articles about crashes, and photographs of accidents, the program shows offenders the nexus between dangerous driving attitudes and death and/or life-changing injuries to offenders and bystanders. Offenders then return to court with written reflections about how they felt while watching the stories documenting the devastating consequences of careless or reckless driving. The offenders also offer reflections on the consequences of their own behavior.

Driver Empathy began in 2002, using data about driving attitudes and behavior assessed and analyzed by Dr. Ken Mills, a psychologist with AlertDriver (see AlertDriver White Paper 4 and White Paper 5 for information on AlertDriver and the Driver Empathy Program). The data establish a correlation between dangerous driving attitudes, especially in young drivers, and driving behavior that endangers the health, welfare and lives of others. More than 4,000 offenders have participated in the program since it began.

“Our goal is to confront the offender’s careless and dangerous driving attitudes, reinforce the risks associated with his behavior, and to increase the offender’s empathy for others,” said Joe Buckner, chief district court judge for Orange and Chatham counties. “Reducing recidivism in repeat offenders will significantly reduce community-wide injuries, deaths and costs to other motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Nearly 96 percent of participants in Driver Empathy give positive course evaluations along fifteen safety dimensions. On average, all participants report safer improvements in their behaviors while behind the wheel. Participants with the highest level of citation and collision history show the biggest changes in self-reported beliefs, attitudes and behaviors on the road.

“By changing attitudes, we change behaviors,” Buckner said. “By changing behaviors, we save lives.”

See AlertDriver White Paper 4 and White Paper 5 for information on AlertDriver and the Driver Empathy Program. Visit www.ash.harvard.edu for more information about the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, and its Bright Ideas program.