Can a sticker in the back of a Matatu reduce the number of automobile accidents in Nairobi? Matatu’s are brightly painted small mini-buses used in Kenya to transport passengers from place to place. Matatu’s are typically heard before they are seen as the driver’s blast loud music. The Matatu is widely known for unsafe driving and are typically involved in a large number of accidents each year.

In 2008, professors from Georgetown University partnered with local Kenyan organizations to determine if placing a sticker inside minibuses – a nudge – to make riders aware that they could complain about unsafe driving practices by the Matatu drivers could reduce the number of accidents involving the Matatu min-buses.

By 2011, the study revealed a 50% reduction in accidents and insurance claims involving the Matatu. The simple intervention of placing a sticker in a van to encourage passengers to speak up resulted in a major change in driving behavior and saved many lives in Kenya.

This simple placement of stickers to affect behavior is called a nudge. A nudge is an image or message that prompts us to take some action. A good example of a nudge is the signs we see on the road that tell us how fast we are driving. If the speed is flashing red, we are nudged to slow down. At the grocery store we are prompted to bring reusable bags to pack our groceries. In public bathrooms signs encourage us to wash our hands.

Nudges can be used to help you with your fitness and nutrition goals too. To increase the amount of fresh fruit that you eat, place a bowl with bananas, apples, strawberries or your favorite fruit on your kitchen table. You can use your smart phone to nudge you to drink more water, stand up during the day, take a walk or take a short meditation break. There are apps for almost any behavior that you want to change. If you want to exercise more, pack your gym clothes at night and place them where you will see them first thing in the morning to nudge you to exercise.

Gentle nudges can help you change your lifestyle so you can be more fit and healthy. Try some of the nudges suggested above or come up with your own to keep progressing toward your fitness and health goals.