Eco-driving - Framing experiment - Montreal - Canada

This study aims to compare the potential of economic, environmental, and road safety frames in enhancing intention to adopt four eco-driving behaviors: avoiding hard braking and acceleration, removing bulky external objects, avoiding very high speeds, and choosing the shortest route. We conducted an experimental survey with 620 drivers from Montreal, Canada. They were equally divided into four groups and asked to indicate their intention to adopt the targeted eco-driving behaviors. Before rating their intention, the three experimental groups were presented with eco-driving advice framed in terms of environmental, economic, or road safety benefits, while the control group received no advice. Compared to the control condition, the road safety frame was the only one to generate significantly stronger intentions to adopt eco-driving, after adjusting for current eco-driving behavior. This effect was consistent across the four behaviors tested.