Kasdah B'Rosh Tov: a description and evaluation of the Israeli bicycle helmet campaign

In this article, the Israeli bicycle helmet campaign that began in 1993 and was accompanied both by increases in sales of helmets and by increases in their use by children is described and evaluated. Based on formative research, the authors designed a campaign by applying functional theories of attitudes. Evaluative research allowed testing the suitability of this application. Results supported functional predictions. Children's exposure to an initial pilot campaign was associated with changes in normative perceptions of helmet wearing and with increased willingness to wear a helmet. Their exposure to the subsequent comprehensive campaign was associated with changes in utilitarian beliefs but not with increased willingness to wear helmets. Parents' exposure to the comprehensive campaign was associated with changes in utilitarian beliefs, but their willingness to require their children to wear helmets was limited by their perceived ability to succeed in influencing their children's use of helmets.