Factors influencing learner driver experiences [Road Safety Grant Report 2009-003]

When compared with more experienced drivers, new drivers have a higher crash risk. This study examined the experiences of learner drivers in Queensland and New South Wales in order to develop an understanding of the factors that influenced them while learning to drive. This will enable the development of more effective licensing systems. The research was informed by a number of heoretical perspectives, particularly social learning theory. Participants were recruited from driver licensing centres as soon as they passed their practical driving test to attain a provisional licence. Of those approached, 392 new drivers from capital cities and regional locations in Queensland and New South Wales completed a 35 minute telephone interview that collected information on a range of personal, social, environmental and socio-demographic factors. Participants were obtaining their licence before several changes to the licensing systems in both Queensland and New South Wales were made in 2007. Several implications for countermeasure development resulted from this research. These included ensuring licensing authorities carefully consider mandating a minimum number of hour of practice as it may inadvertently suppress the amount of practice that some learners obtain. Licensing authorities should consider the use of logbooks for learner drivers, even if there is no minimum amount of supervised practice required as it may assist learners and their supervisors structure their practice more effectively. This research also found that the confidence of learner drivers increases between when they first obtain their learner licence and when they obtain their provisional licence. This is an important issue requiring further attention by licensing authorities

Simulators, driver education and disadvantaged groups: A scoping review

This paper examines simulators to deliver driver education programs for two very different populations (a) those who have specific impairments or intellectual disabilities and (b) those who may suffer disadvantage associated with their ethnicity. To do this we addressed two research questions (a) What role, if any, can simulation play as an education and/or training intervention for individuals disadvantaged because of individually-orientated concerns such as intellectual impairment or ADHD? (b) What role, if any, can simulation play as an education and/or training intervention for those who are disadvantaged because of their indigenous ethnicity? Technological developments have enabled the incorporation of driving simulators into driver education programs. A review of major databases using keywords identified 2,420 records. After duplicates were removed and screening occurred, thirteen studies were included in the review. The disadvantaged populations for the driver education initiatives that incorporated a simulator were very specific (e.g. intellectual disabilities) with no interventions for those disadvantaged because of ethnicity. A second search identified six papers that discussed interventions for indigenous populations. None of these interventions had a simulator component. The review highlights the need for high quality empirical research in the area of simulators, driver education and disadvantaged groups in order to inform policy development within this area. While there are some preliminary results indicating potential benefits, there is limited research evidence for an initiative of this type making it difficult to develop evidence based policy and practice. Therefore, when these types of initiatives are introduced, they need to be evaluated</p

A mixed-methods study of driver education informed by the Goals for Driver Education: Do young drivers and educators agree on what was taught?

Evaluation research suggests that professional driver education and training has little effect on reducing the crash involvements of young drivers. Driver education and training programs have been criticised as being unsystematically designed and lacking an empirical or theoretical basis. The Goals for Driver Education (GDE) is a theoretical framework developed to address these criticisms. The GDE defines four hierarchical levels of driving behaviours and influences on driving and three individualised Person-specific factors that should be considered in driver education and training programs. The aim of this study was to compare and contrast, in a methodologically rigorous manner, the perceptions that young drivers (n = 22; Mage = 17.80 years, SD = 6.54 months) and driver educators (n = 10; Mage = 54.5 years, SD = 9.21 years) have of a professional driver education and training course they participated in or facilitated. Eight semi-structured focus groups were conducted and the GDE was used to direct the collection and analysis of the data. Young drivers mainly discussed basic driving skills located on the lower levels of the GDE rather than higher level abstract factors that increase risk for young drivers. Driver educators tended to group particular GDE levels and Person-specific factors together when discussing the driving course and paid limited attention to Goals and contexts of driving. Results suggest that driver educators should provide direct instruction regarding the more abstract social and contextual factors that influence driving to potentially increase the efficacy of driver education and training as a safety countermeasure

Preparing students for the professional workplace: Who has responsibility for what?

This paper considers the concepts of curriculum which underlie existing workplace based learning programs and advocates that clearly articulated and meaningful statements about the nature of the learning that occurs in such programs are couched in an appropriate discourse. It argues that universities must take the lead in meeting demands that educational institutions be more accountable for the learning of their students by developing curriculum statements that are consistent with an emancipatory model of curriculum. Such statements should specify the frameworks in which content and even assessment can be negotiated with individual students rather than being specified in advance and should demand that students take responsibility for their own learning

Weaving the threads of knowledge: A focus on students

This research paper will address the process of learning in a cooperative education program from the students' perspective. Each author will consider the student's point of view from a different position. The paper builds a combined picture of the student’s understanding of the placement using a constructivist interpretive methodology that concentrates on verbatim accounts of students’ responses as the placement proceeds. Annerley, who has recently graduated as a social worker, will comment on the interpretations she placed on the practicum experience she had herself during her degree program. She will go on to outline her subsequent honours research into the perspectives of other students completing field placements. The importance of the student's contribution to the student/supervisor relationship will be emphasised by Lyndel, a senior researcher for the Queensland Parliament, who has recently supervised students herself in a demanding workplace. She will give her perspective on the student's need for supervision and direction. Merrelyn, as the convenor of the work placement program conducted by Griffith University’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice for degree level students, will discuss her current research into what the university is able to do about how the students learn and what they learn through the placement experience. The paper will conclude with some important suggestions about innovations that the authors believe should be introduced into the culture of cooperative education in the future if it is to achieve its stated goals

Engaging the community : Limiting the road safety threats for novice drivers

Drivers and motorbike riders under the age of 25 are overrepresented in crashes throughout the world. In Queensland, Australia, they accounted for 14 per cent of road fatalities and 20 per cent of hospitalisations in the five years 1998 to 2002, when they were only 7 per cent of the actual state population. During 2003, the Travelsafe Committee of the Queensland Parliament examined methods for reducing crashes among this vulnerable group. After examining research from around the world, the committee identified a number of potential interventions for novice drivers. These included control of late night driving, passenger carrying limitations, restricting the power of cars and motorbikes, limiting towing, and reducing the maximum speed limit for novice drivers and riders. Other measures considered by the committee included re-introducing P-plates to identify drivers and riders in the intermediate licensing stage, rewards for offence-free driving/riding, and testing novice drivers and riders before they can ‘exit’ to a full licence. The committee identified at a very early stage in their work that the imposition of additional restrictions on young drivers and riders and the resultant impact on the mobility of young people would be a contentious issue. The committee placed great importance on public consultation processes for the inquiry to encourage informed debate and to involve groups and individuals with differing views in their inquiries. The committee used a participatory research methodology to engage with the key stakeholders including pre-drivers, novice drivers, parent groups, government agencies and youth groups in order to test their reaction as well as seek their input. This consultative process provided information regarding their current road user behaviour and possible changes to this behaviour. From the information gathered during this consultation, the committee made recommendations to parliament to enhance the road safety benefits for novice drivers. The involvement of, and consultation with, the community ensured that the inquiry outcomes were more relevant to the people of Queensland and not merely a transplantation of ideas from the licensing systems of other jurisdictions to the Queensland driver and rider licensing systems

Mechanisms of Change: The Role of Parliamentary Committees in Road Safety

Road safety problems are frequently complex and do not have a simple solution. Parliamentary road safety committees are an important mechanism for consulting with interest groups and the general public to achieve system-wide changes. Parliamentary committees are provided by their respective parliaments with significant inquiry powers to monitor, examine, investigate and report on issues with recommendations. The World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention released on World Health Day 2004 highlights the particular importance of parliamentary road safety committees in creating effective road safety policies. Knowledge about the role and functions of parliamentary committees and their contributions is often limited. This paper will discuss: the history, constitution and role of parliamentary road safety committees in Australia including their investigative, scrutiny and advocacy functions; their contribution to road safety interventions in Australia; and their specific roles as catalysts to foster accountability, reform and change. The paper will also provide information on how individuals and organisations can participate in the work of parliamentary committees for the advancement of road safety

Competing or Complementing: Driver Education and Graduated Driver Licensing

Driver education and graduated driver licensing are two countermeasures designed to help reduce the crash risk of young novice drivers. However, while driver education enjoys popular support there is a lack of evidence confirming that it reduces crash risk. In contrast, research has suggested there is a strong link between the introduction of stronger graduated licensing schemes, which includes restrictions such as limits on late night driving or peer passengers and crash reductions. This paper will present preliminary findings from a survey of novice driver experiences in Queensland. Implications for the better integration of licensing requirements and driving training are discussed

Parliament and community road safety

In the past, Queensland parliamentary committees have successfully assisted in the introduction of evidence-based policy and legislation and this presentation will describe how Parliament supports road safety through its committees. The presentation will examine the strengths of parliamentary committees in the Westminster system, provide an overview of the reformed committee system and discuss an example of a previous road safety inquiry (completed under the former committee system). Developing an understanding of parliamentary committees will help road safety practitioners to present their ideas in an appropriate manner that will encourage the examination of their ideas by parliamentary committees and increase the likelihood that their suggestions will be included as recommendations within a committee report and subsequently acted upon by the government