UC Irvine

AbstractBackground

In 2023, road traffic collisions caused 2.44 million injuries and 40,901 deaths in the U.S., with young adults disproportionately affected. This is the implementation report of the Virtual Ambassador Program at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), supported by grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The program engages students as virtual ambassadors to spread sober driving messages through their personal social media networks and prepares them to assume leadership of the initiative.

To foster student partnership and engagement in traffic safety efforts at UCI and ultimately reducing impaired driving.

The campaign began in 2022 on Facebook and Twitter, with student ambassadors disseminating sober driving messages through their personal networks. It later expanded to TikTok and Instagram, and the content scope broadened to include marijuana alongside alcohol and drugs. In 2024, the ambassadors posted 1,057 posts, reaching 40,401 unique users with 27,253 video views. In 2025, leadership began transitioning from UCI faculty to the student organization Drive Sober Orange County. This marked the beginning of student-led leadership, supported by mentorship, training, and funding. Full student ownership is expected after the transition, enabling sustained peer-driven engagement in traffic safety.

This report highlights the untapped potential of student partnership in road safety. With structured support, university students served as effective contributors to road safety. Using a cascade model of peer dissemination, they reached broad audiences with messages likely to resonate with their high-risk age group.

• University students are willing and capable contributors to road safety. Peer influence is underutilized in impaired driving prevention.

• With structured mentorship and support, student-led strategies can extend the reach of traffic safety messaging and foster effective partnerships.

Youth empowerment, Impaired driving, Virtual Ambassador.