Factors and frames that shape public discourse around road user safety [R29]

In this study of media frames of traffic crashes, the team discovered that broadcast TV news agencies’ Facebook posts featuring the people involved in or witnessing of crash events were associated with more frequent and deeper engagement with the material on Facebook. However, not all road user groups were associated with greater public engagement with crash-featuring news agencies’ Facebook posts. Posts featuring more vulnerable road users, such as older adults, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists were associated less engagement among TV news agencies’ Facebook audiences. Further, a dominant framing of crashes in new agencies’ Facebook posts presented them as phenomena that delay motor vehicle traffic (Class 1 reporting patterns). Such framing holds the potential to orient the public’s attention away from the grim and inequitable reality of road trauma in the United States. Promisingly, however, were study findings that the employment of victim narratives and thematic frames—elements more common in Class 2 reporting patterns—was associated with more engagement with posts. This study illustrates that if the United States is to ameliorate road trauma, members of the news media, and professionals in transportation and public health can and must coordinate their actions. One place to start might be telling inspiring and pragmatic stories about how safety investments can benefit everyone and in copious ways.

在这项关于交通事故媒体框架的研究中，研究团队发现，广播电视台新闻机构发布的、包含事故涉事人员或目击者的Facebook帖子，与用户在Facebook上对该内容更频繁且更深度的互动相关。

然而，并非所有道路使用者群体都能提升公众对新闻机构事故相关Facebook帖子的互动度。包含老年人群体、行人、骑行者及摩托车手等弱势道路使用者的帖子，在电视台新闻机构的Facebook受众中互动度较低。

此外，新闻机构Facebook帖子中对事故的主导叙事框架，将其呈现为延误机动车交通的现象（1类报道模式）。这种框架有可能将公众注意力从美国道路创伤严峻且不公平的现实中转移开来。

但值得欣慰的是，研究发现采用受害者叙事与主题框架（2类报道模式中更常见的元素）与帖子获得更多互动相关。

本研究表明，若美国要改善道路创伤问题，新闻媒体从业者以及交通与公共卫生领域的专业人士能够且必须协同行动。一个可行的起点或许是讲述鼓舞人心且务实的故事，阐述安全投资如何以多种方式惠及所有人。