Newspaper framing of motor vehicle crashes and road safety in Argentina

Abstract

The media plays a key role in shaping the public’s perception of road safety. This study analyzes the newspaper coverage and framing of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) and road safety in Argentina, South America. The content of 304 articles published by 15 newspapers in November 2020 was reviewed. The results show that episodically framed news stories (focused on a single event or incident) prevail over thematically framed articles. MVCs are presented primarily as ‘police’ events and tend to receive more coverage when fatalities are involved. There is limited information provided on contextual and risk factors, and road safety advice is rarely included. Speeding, infrastructure, alcohol and other human-related variables are the most cited risk factors. Very few articles mention the use of protective devices (seat-belt, helmet and child restraint system). Although motorcyclists represent 40% of RTC deaths in Argentina, only 20% of the news coverage was about them. News coverage was quite similar in national and regional newspapers. There is an opportunity for the media to help build a better road safety culture, but significant changes in news framing are required. Practical recommendations for editors, journalists and road safety practitioners are provided.