Table 1

Example texts of the SMS intervention

Green sun protection traffic lights (UV index range 0–2)
  • Hello! Today the sun traffic lights are GREEN. There is no increased risk of sunburn today. Do you remember the ABCDE rule? A—Asymmetry, B—Border, C—Colour, D—Diameter, E—Elevation/Evolving. Have a nice weekend!

  • Hi, the sun traffic lights are back to GREEN. You probably don’t have to put on any sunscreen today. Maybe you can still catch some shafts of sunlight. As a reminder: What does the UV index mean? The UV index is a measure for the maximum daily biologically effective radiation from the sun. Take care!

Yellow sun protection traffic lights (UV index range 3–5)
  • Good morning! The sun traffic lights are YELLOW! Today the sun seems quite strong. Keep in mind: There is no sunscreen for your eyes: What about cool sunglasses? Have a nice day!

  • Good morning! The sun traffic lights are YELLOW now. Today there is a risk of sunburn, so don’t forget the sunscreen! And remember to put some on your nose and ears, a sunburn can be very painful there! See you!

Red sun protection traffic lights (UV index 6 or higher)
  • Attention! Today the sun traffic lights are RED. Today there is a high risk of getting burned and it will get really hot! But with a cool hat, you keep a cool head! Just make sure, that you are slathered with sunscreen, even in the shade because sunrays can reach you there as well! Goodbye!

  • Attention! Today the sun traffic lights are RED again! Within a short period of time you can get a nasty sunburn. Remember: the water surface and sand reflect UV radiation! See you!

Sun protection traffic lights in combination with the local cloudiness
  • Good morning! The sun traffic lights are YELLOW today! It’s a little bit cloudy outside. Nevertheless, you can get a serious sunburn on overcast days if you spent time outside without any sun protection. Take care!

  • Hello! Today the sun traffic lights are RED! There are some clouds on the move, BUT remember: sun's UV rays can pass through clouds. So don’t forget to on any sunscreen! See you!

  • SMS, short message service; UV, ultraviolet.