Required hours of practice for learner drivers : a comparison between two Australian jurisdictions

Problem: This study considers whether requiring learner drivers to complete a set number of hours while on a learner licence affects the amount of hours of supervised practice that they undertake. It compares the amount of practice that learners in Queensland and New South Wales report undertaking. At the time the study was conducted, learner drivers in New South Wales were required to complete 50 hours of supervised practice while those from Queensland were not. Method: Participants were approached outside driver licensing centres after they had just completed their practical driving test to obtain their provisional (intermediate) licence. Those agreeing to participate were interviewed over the phone later and asked a range of questions to obtain information including socio-demographic details and amount of supervised practice completed. Results: There was a significant difference in the amount of practice that learners reported undertaking. Participants from New South Wales reported completing a significantly greater amount of practice (M = 73.3 hours, sd = 29.12 hours) on their learner licence than those from Queensland (M = 64.1 hours, sd = 51.05 hours). However, the distribution of hours of practice among the Queensland participants was bimodal in nature. Participants from Queensland reported either completing much less or much more practice than the New South Wales average. Summary: While it appears that the requirement that learner drivers complete a set number of hours may increase the average amount of hours of practice obtained, it may also serve to discourage drivers from obtaining additional practice, over and above the required hours. Impact on Industry: The results of this study suggest that the implications of requiring learner drivers to complete a set number of hours of supervised practice are complex. In some cases, policy makers may inadvertently limit the amount of hours learners obtain to the mandated amount rather than encouraging them to obtain as much practice as possible.

Countermeasures for young drivers. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Mobility and safety are conflicting goals for transport policy makers when making decisions about graduated driver licensing

Policy decisions are frequently influenced by more than research results alone. This review examines one road safety countermeasure, graduated driver licensing, in three jurisdictions and identifies how the conflict between mobility and safety goals can influence policy decisions relating to this countermeasure. Evaluations from around the world of graduated driver licensing have demonstrated clear reductions in crashes for young drivers. However, the introduction of this countermeasure may be affected, both positively and negatively, by the conflict some policy makers experience between ensuring individuals remain both mobile and safe as drivers. This review highlights how this conflict in policy decision making can serve to either facilitate or hinder the introduction of graduated driver licensing systems. However, policy makers whose focus on mobility is too strong when compared with safety may be mistaken, with evidence suggesting that after a graduated driver licensing system is introduced young drivers adapt their behaviour to the new system and remain mobile. As a result, policy makers should consciously acknowledge the conflict between mobility and safety and consider an appropriate balance in order to introduce these systems. Improvements to the licensing system can then be made in an incremental manner as the balance between these two priorities change. Policy makers can achieve an appropriate balance by using empirical evidence as a basis for their decisions.

Young driver risk-taking research: the state of the art. Interim report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Driver and Pedestrian Safety, Washington, D.C.

Supplemental driver safety program development. Volume I: developmental research and evaluation. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Supplemental driver safety program development. Volume II: pilot and field test module materials. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Implementation guide for establishing a youth traffic safety council.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Program overview for establishing a youth traffic safety council.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Traffic safety demonstration program modeling system. Volume IV: appendices.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Understanding youthful risk taking and driving.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Baseline data for public education about alcohol and highway safety in Vermont.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Youth, alcohol, and speeding: their joint contribution to highway accidents. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Safe driving knowledge dissemination and testing techniques. Volume I. General findings. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Safe driving knowledge dissemination and testing techniques: volume II: final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Youth alcohol safety education criteria development. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.