Participatory photography gives voice to young non-drivers in New Zealand

Abstract

Youth have the highest crash injury risk in New Zealand. Māori and Pacific youth have an even higher risk. Highlighting and promoting benefits of modal shift from cars to active and public transport may increase health and safety. We aimed to create a discussion surrounding transport issues to gain a better understanding of attitudes and behaviours of non-driving youth, to empower our participants and to promote health and social change by making participants' opinions and experiences known to the broader community through a public exhibition. We engaged nine non-drivers aged 16-24 years in photovoice. Through sharing their photos and stories, participants used the power of the visual image to communicate their experiences. This method is an internationally recognized tool that reduces inequalities by giving those who have minimal decision-making power an opportunity to share their voice. By the end of the project, it was clear that the participants were comfortable with their non-driving status, noting that public and active transport was more cost-effective, easy and convenient. This attitude reflects recent studies showing a marked decrease in licensure among young people in developed countries. This project uniquely prioritized young Māori, Pacific and Asian non-drivers.

Transport behaviours among older teenagers from semi‐rural New Zealand

“…Fifty‐eight per cent of those with a paying job reported driving as a mode of transport, while 31% of those without a job reported driving. Chi‐squared tests were conducted for each transport mode, and significant associations existed for six of the eight modes, with more males than females cycling (χ 2 =14.14, p <0.001), skateboarding (χ 2 =11.35, p =0.001) and riding a motorcycle or scooter (χ 2 =11.15, p =0.001). More females than males were a passenger in a car ( χ 2 =10.056, p =0.002) and took the school bus (χ 2 =5.04, p =0.025) or a public bus (χ 2 =5.00, p =0.025).…”

“…Chi‐squared tests were conducted for each transport mode, and significant associations existed for six of the eight modes, with more males than females cycling (χ 2 =14.14, p <0.001), skateboarding (χ 2 =11.35, p =0.001) and riding a motorcycle or scooter (χ 2 =11.15, p =0.001). More females than males were a passenger in a car ( χ 2 =10.056, p =0.002) and took the school bus (χ 2 =5.04, p =0.025) or a public bus (χ 2 =5.00, p =0.025). While some male and female respondents reported their school uniform as a reason for not walking or cycling, females were more affected (about 1 in 10), and a chi squared test showed a significant association (χ 2 =6.05, p =0.01).…”

“…More females than males were a passenger in a car ( χ 2 =10.056, p =0.002) and took the school bus (χ 2 =5.04, p =0.025) or a public bus (χ 2 =5.00, p =0.025). While some male and female respondents reported their school uniform as a reason for not walking or cycling, females were more affected (about 1 in 10), and a chi squared test showed a significant association (χ 2 =6.05, p =0.01).…”

“…Unpaired t ‐tests (indicated by t ) were performed on the mean scores to assess differences between genders. Pearson’s chi‐squared tests (indicated by χ 2 ) were performed on categorical data, to assess associations between gender and transport behaviours, and licence status and some activities. All statistically significant results are reported in the text.…”

“…T he transport modes chosen by New Zealand (NZ) teenagers are based upon individual decisions that, in aggregate, have significant public health implications. Although vehicle crashes involving young people are dropping, teenagers continue to display a disproportionate amount of risk as drivers and passengers when compared to other age groups in NZ 1,2 . Consequently, the research emphasis with regard to teenagers and transportation continues to be on car use.…”