Smooth handling: the lack of safety-related consumer information in car advertisements.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the content and trends of safety-related consumer information in magazine vehicle advertisements, as a case study within the worldwide marketing of vehicles.


METHODS
Content analysis of popular current affairs magazines in New Zealand for the 5-year period 2001-2005 was undertaken (n = 514 advertisements), supplemented with vehicle data from official websites.


RESULTS
Safety information in advertisements for light passenger vehicles was relatively uncommon with only 27% mentioning one or more of nine key safety features examined (average: 1.7 out of nine features in this 27%). Also included were potentially hazardous features of: speed imagery (in 29% of advertisements), power references (14%), and acceleration data (4%). The speed and power aspects became relatively more common over the 5-year period (p < 0.05 for trend).


CONCLUSIONS
To enhance informed consumer choice and improve injury prevention, governments should consider regulating the content of vehicle advertisements and vehicle marketing - as already occurs with many other consumer products.
Wilson
Nick
N
Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, PO Box 7343, Wellington South, New Zealand. wilson@otago.ac.nz
Maher
Anthony
A
Thomson
George
G
Keall
Michael
M
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000329:Advertising / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D003257:Consumer Product Safety / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009520:New Zealand; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety / Q000592:standards*