Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India
Background Media coverage of road traffic collisions (RTCs) may influence preventative action. India experiences some of the highest RTC mortality and morbidity rates globally, but advocacy and effective action to mitigate this has been limited. We conducted an analysis of Indian media in English to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2021-03-01
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| Series: | BMJ Global Health |
| Online Access: | https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/3/e004499.full |
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| author | Jagnoor Jagnoor Margaret Peden Medhavi Gupta Inayat Singh Kakar Elena Altieri |
| author_facet | Jagnoor Jagnoor Margaret Peden Medhavi Gupta Inayat Singh Kakar Elena Altieri |
| author_sort | Jagnoor Jagnoor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Media coverage of road traffic collisions (RTCs) may influence preventative action. India experiences some of the highest RTC mortality and morbidity rates globally, but advocacy and effective action to mitigate this has been limited. We conducted an analysis of Indian media in English to assess whether coverage met the WHO’s Reporting on Road Safety guidelines for evidence-based reporting of RTCs.Methods English-language articles published online between March 2018 and February 2019 were assessed against the seven recommended story angles and seven recommended key elements in the WHO guidelines.Results 458 articles were included in the analysis. The most common story angle was descriptions of single collisions, which was not a WHO-recommended story angle. These included limited key elements such as use of human story or linking to road safety risks or evidence-based solutions. However, some articles did follow the WHO-recommended story angles, with 22.1% discussing specific road safety solutions and a further 6.3% discussing vulnerable groups. Almost all articles avoided the use of technical language, but only 2.0% explicitly stated that RTCs were preventable. More than half identified at least one evidence-based solution. Very few articles discussed economic or health impacts of RTCs, including the burden they present to the public health system.Conclusion Indian media in English can improve reporting by focusing on human stories and documenting experiences of those injured in RTCs. Coverage should also focus more on evidence-based solutions, emphasising the systems approach which encourages government action rather than changes to individual behaviour. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7edcd85b4e224613a44b68c69380d30f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2059-7908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Global Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-7edcd85b4e224613a44b68c69380d30f2025-08-20T02:51:35ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082021-03-016310.1136/bmjgh-2020-004499Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in IndiaJagnoor Jagnoor0Margaret Peden1Medhavi Gupta2Inayat Singh Kakar3Elena Altieri4The George Institute for Global Health India, New Delhi, Delhi, India7 The George Institute for Global Health UK, Imperial College London, London, UKProgram in Women`s Oncology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA3 The George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi, IndiaBehavioural Insights Unit, World Health Organization, Geneve, SwitzerlandBackground Media coverage of road traffic collisions (RTCs) may influence preventative action. India experiences some of the highest RTC mortality and morbidity rates globally, but advocacy and effective action to mitigate this has been limited. We conducted an analysis of Indian media in English to assess whether coverage met the WHO’s Reporting on Road Safety guidelines for evidence-based reporting of RTCs.Methods English-language articles published online between March 2018 and February 2019 were assessed against the seven recommended story angles and seven recommended key elements in the WHO guidelines.Results 458 articles were included in the analysis. The most common story angle was descriptions of single collisions, which was not a WHO-recommended story angle. These included limited key elements such as use of human story or linking to road safety risks or evidence-based solutions. However, some articles did follow the WHO-recommended story angles, with 22.1% discussing specific road safety solutions and a further 6.3% discussing vulnerable groups. Almost all articles avoided the use of technical language, but only 2.0% explicitly stated that RTCs were preventable. More than half identified at least one evidence-based solution. Very few articles discussed economic or health impacts of RTCs, including the burden they present to the public health system.Conclusion Indian media in English can improve reporting by focusing on human stories and documenting experiences of those injured in RTCs. Coverage should also focus more on evidence-based solutions, emphasising the systems approach which encourages government action rather than changes to individual behaviour.https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/3/e004499.full |
| spellingShingle | Jagnoor Jagnoor Margaret Peden Medhavi Gupta Inayat Singh Kakar Elena Altieri Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India BMJ Global Health |
| title | Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India |
| title_full | Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India |
| title_fullStr | Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India |
| title_short | Media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in India |
| title_sort | media coverage and framing of road traffic safety in india |
| url | https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/3/e004499.full |
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