My Red Thumb (campaign)

This multi agency campaign was launched in Devon to raise awareness of the risks of distraction, and specifically those associated with using a mobile phone while driving.

The campaign, My Red Thumb, is designed to reach as many road users as possible through the use of social media. It has been developed by a partnership comprising Devon County Council’s road safety team, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue, Devon & Cornwall Police, Torbay Council, Peninsula Trauma Network, South Western Ambulance Trust, Learn2Live Partnership, Devon Air Ambulance, The Honest Truth Partnership and the Highways Agency.

The campaign is designed to spread virally and deploy behavioural change techniques to encourage people change a habit. It was launched on 16 May via social media, links to associated websites and variable message boards on roads across Devon.

The Red Thumb campaign was originally introduced in America to remind drivers not to use their phone while driving.

To localise the campaign a website has been developed along with a short video clip called ‘Things you can do with your thumb’.

My Red Thumb was an experiment in the use of social media with an extremely low budget. By early June 2014 the campaign had attracted 283 followers on twitter and the website has received more than 5,165 page views.