Vitalitydrive and Driving Behavior

Last registered on February 01, 2015
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Vitalitydrive and Driving Behavior
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0000615
Initial registration date
February 01, 2015

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
February 01, 2015, 11:10 PM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
South Africa
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Alison Buttenheim
Affiliation
University of Pennsylvania
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Saurabh Bhargava
PI Affiliation
Carnegic Mellon University
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
On going
Start date
2014-11-20
End date
2016-12-31
Keywords
Health
Additional Keywords
Insurance, telematics, behavioral economics, incentives, feedback
JEL code(s)
Health, Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
Secondary IDs
Abstract
In collaboration with Vitality/Discovery, we will conduct an RCT among Vitalitydrive customers. We will compare the effectiveness of fixed vs. contingent incentives, feedback vs. no feedback on driving quality, and simple vs. complex feedback formats. To inform the trial, we will also conduct secondary analyses of existing Vitalitydrive client data. We will randomize a stream of new Vitalitydrive customers who elect to install the DQ-Track device to one of three arms. We interpret differences in driver behavior across these arms as evidence for the role of played by incentives and feedback on driver risk-taking.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Bhargava, Saurabh and Alison Buttenheim. 2015. "Vitalitydrive and Driving Behavior." AEA RCT Registry. February 01. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.615-1.0
Former Citation
Bhargava, Saurabh and Alison Buttenheim. 2015. "Vitalitydrive and Driving Behavior." AEA RCT Registry. February 01. https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/trials/615/history/3481
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention (Hidden)

Participants are randomized to one of three arms:

1. Fixed incentive with driving feedback: Customers in this arm will have the DQ-Track device installed, but will be instructed that, as a part of a special offer they will receive a fixed amount (400) DP Points for the first three months of the program regardless of their driving behavior. Essentially, we will pay these customers to use the device but will not link their fuel spend cash back amount to driving data. We have set the fixed points amount at 400 to ensure high customer satisfaction -- this is approximately 120% of the median number of driving points currently earned. Customers can earn additional points by engaging in various other driving safety and awareness programs. Like typical customers, customers in this group would receive monthly email notification. Monthly email notification for this arm would include the fixed DQ points, and information about driving events and behaviors (not translated into DQ points). After the end of the trial period, these customers will revert to the existing rewards program.
2. Fixed incentive with no driving feedback: This arm of the study would randomize customers into a treatment identical to Arm #1, except that customers will not receive feedback on driving performance in their monthly email notification. A comparison of the first arm to this arm will permit us to understand the effect that feedback alone may have on driver behavior (abstracted from the reward incentives).
3. Existing Program (Control): Customers in this arm would be entered into the program as it is currently planned to be implemented i.e., with immediate feedback and incentives.

In addition, participants in each arm will be randomized to two different communications conditions, in which the monthly feedback email is in either a "loud" (high salience, simplified) or a "soft" (lower salience, more complex) format.
Intervention Start Date
2014-11-20
Intervention End Date
2015-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Primary Outcome Measure:

Driver Performance Score

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Harsh driving events

Claims and collisions

Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Driver Performance Score: The DQ Track device installed in the participants car records driver safety, which is rolled up into a monthly Driver Performance Score.

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Harsh driving events: The DQ Track device records each harsh acceleration, harsh braking, harsh cornering event. These are rolled up into a daily count.

Claims and collisions: We will measure any collisions or claims made on the insurance policy.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
This is a 3-arm randomized trial crossed with two feedback conditions.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization is done using random number generator in Excel in the office. Randomized client lists are sent back to Discovery/Vitality for recruitment. .
Randomization Unit
Individual.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
N/A
Sample size: planned number of observations
1800
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
600 per arm, 1800 total
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board
IRB Approval Date
2014-10-06
IRB Approval Number
821172
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials