Motor vehicle crashes are the major cause of death and injury among adolescents. Crash risks are particular elevated at licensure, declines rapidly for about 6 months (consistent with an effect of learning), and then decline more slowely for a number of years. Risk is particularly elevated under certain driving conditions, such as wiht teen passengers, at night, while engaged in secondary in-vehicle tasks. PRB has developed a program of research, including observational and prospective studies, designed to increase understanding of teen driving risks and reduce crash risks during the early months of licensure. We are conducting observational studies to determine the nature of teen driving risk. Specifically, we are interested in determining how driving performance improves over time and varies under certain driving conditions, such as with teen passengers and at night. Results from our previous studies indicated that teen risky driving behaviors, traffic violations, and crashes are lower among teens whose parents limit the driving privileges of novice teens. Based on these findings, the Checkpoints Program was developed to increase parental management of teen unrestricted driving through the use persuasive communications (PCs) in the forms of newsletters and a model driving agreement. Several randomized trials have been conducted establishing the efficacy of the Checkpoints Program. The results indicate significant differences on driving limits, risky driving, tickets, and crashes through 12-months post licensure. Current studies are designed to evaluate methods for increasing the effectiveness of parent interventions. Other studies are underway to evaluate the effects on novice teen driving performance of driving experience, teen passengers, and night driving.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 24 publications
