Young and novice driver intervention
review
Dr Shaun Helman - January 2017
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Contents
1
Background to the project
2
Method used
3
Findings
4
Discussion and recommendations
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Background
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Background
 Newly qualified drivers of all ages experience an
elevated risk of crashing their car within the first
three years of passing their test (risk is even higher
for those under the age of 25)
 Proportionately higher accident rates of young and
novice drivers compared with other groups are due
to:
 Lack of driving experience
 Behaviours associated with elevated crash risk (e.g. poor
perceptions of risks, hazards, drink driving, speeding)
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Background
 Some interventions seek to reduce the risk through
licensing systems that maximise maturity and on-road
experience before full licensure (e.g. Graduated Driver
Licensing approaches)
 Some interventions take an alternative approach using a
variety of methods (e.g. training, education, technology,
support networks) in attempts to equip learners with skills,
knowledge and attitudes they need to become a safer
driver, or in an attempt to target specific risk factors at the
behavioural level
 This project focuses on the second type of intervention
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Project aims
1. To conduct an evidence base review, which builds
on the existing evidence, helping to understand
the effectiveness of pre- and post-test
interventions, in terms of their ability to influence
the attitudes and behaviours of young and novice
drivers
2. To prioritise and shortlist those interventions that
may have the greatest potential to reduce collision
rates among this group
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Method
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Method overview
Inception
Evidence reviews
Synthesis of the effectiveness of
Synthesis of evidence linking
‘proxy’ measures such as those
different pre- and post-test
interventions
covered in the first review
Rate interventions
Expert workshop
Final report
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Review of evidence
 Included interventions from the year 2000
 Initial search yielded 402 articles
 List of abstracts were reviewed to establish
potential relevance
 52 articles remaining after relevance scoring –
these were scored for quality on the Adjusted
Maryland Scientific Methods Scale (AMSMS)
 List of proxy measures / risk factors pertinent to
collision and injury risk in novice drivers was also
developed from review of wider literature
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Desirable changes in risk factors targeted
by interventions
Less driving with
peer age
passengers, or
fewer peer age
passengers
More seat belt
wearing
Higher hazard
perception skill
More supervised
on-road experience
pre- or post-test
Less night time
driving
Lower speeds
Less close
following
Reducing unsafe
attitudes and
behavioural
intentions
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Older age at
licensure
Lower levels of
drink driving
Less use of distracting
devices when driving
Workshop
 Purpose was to provide a mechanism by which
interventions could be scrutinised by road safety
professionals and stakeholders
 Workshop did not consider evidence of effectiveness,
instead it focused on a list of interventions and the
practical issues associated with their potential
implementation
 Goal was to reduce the list of interventions to the
three to five with the greatest potential on likely
effectiveness and consideration of a range of
characteristics that might influence larger scale
implementation
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Criteria

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Acceptability
Applicability
Cost
Ease of implementation
Ownership
Target audience
Any other issues
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Workshop Attendees
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Findings
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Review findings
 Almost all interventions are evaluated
against non-collision or non-injury outcome
measures
 Even when collision or injury outcomes are
included, sample sizes achieved are often
insufficient to draw any firm conclusions
 This made the consideration of risk factors
targeted by interventions more important
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Review findings
 Seven evidence-based interventions/intervention types
were taken forward for discussion at the workshop
 Three involved parental engagement, three involved
the use of technologies to help promote behavioural
change in pre-test and post-test phases, and one
involved hazard perception training
 Classroom education and behind-the-wheel training
were also included for discussion at the workshop so
that ease of implementation could be assessed against
existing delivery capacity and provision
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Workshop findings
 None of the interventions discussed were ‘ruled out’
 Most interventions were positively received and
described as having key positive and negative aspects
 Discussion focused on how the different potential
interventions might be best built into the existing
licensing process
 Incentives were discussed in terms of being required
to maximise market penetration if a voluntary (i.e.
non-mandatory participation) approach is taken
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Discussion and
recommendations
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Recommended interventions
 Four interventions recommended for properly
controlled scientific evaluation in a future trial in GB
 Supported by a reasonable level of empirical evidence
 Target risk factors that are plausibly important in
contributing to collisions in newly qualified drivers, and
use theoretically plausible mechanisms to achieve
change
 Seem feasible in terms of the practicalities of both an
evaluation trial and subsequent roll-out
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‘Short list’ of interventions
1
An intervention to engage parents in managing post-test
driving in specific risky situations
2
An intervention to engage a range of stakeholders (utilising a
logbook approach) in increasing the amount and breadth of
pre-test on-road experience
3
An intervention utilising technology (in-vehicle data
recorders or ‘telematics’) and possibly parents to manage
driver behaviour post-test
4
An intervention to train hazard perception skill
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1
An intervention to engage parents in managing post-test
driving in specific risky situations
 The one ‘of the shelf’ intervention which showed some promise is
the ‘Checkpoints’ Programme
 The programme helps parents to manage the risks faced in early
licensed driving (e.g. driving at night, driving with peer-age
passengers, driving in poor weather conditions)
 A key component is the ‘parent-teen’ driving agreement that sets
a number of restrictions that can be gradually ‘lifted’
 The programme can be delivered using online resources
 The programme relies on a newly qualified driver having access to
someone who can fulfil the ‘parent’ role.
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2
An intervention to engage a range of stakeholders (utilising a
logbook approach) in increasing the amount and breadth of
pre-test on-road experience
 This intervention is based on evidence that increased amounts
and (and breadth) of on-road experience before licensure can
decrease post-licence collision risk
 Previous studies have suggested around 120 hours as a target
 Buy-in from ADIs and the parent is critical
 Support from the DVSA to provide a mechanism for logging
practice will be required
 The programme relies on a learner having access to a supervising
driver
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3
An intervention utilising technology (in-vehicle data
recorders or ‘telematics’) and possibly parents to manage
driver behaviour post-test
 There are some questions around the consistency of driver
‘models’ that are used – a bespoke system may need to be
developed for a trial
 Some young drivers may not be comfortable having their driving
tracked
 There is an obvious potential link with the insurance industry in
the form of ‘Pay As You Drive’ polices but there is likely to be
some self-selection bias
 The programme would rely on a ‘parent’ figure to oversee and
respond to negative driving ‘events’
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4
An intervention to train hazard perception skill
 The evidence base is fairly robust (its inclusion in the current test
has suggested positive effects on collisions)
 The delivery mechanism is relatively straightforward and
understood by stakeholders
 Given that it is an existing component of the test, it would be a
less challenging intervention to ‘sell’ than some of the others
being considered
 A consideration is whether to make it compulsory or voluntary
(possibly incentivised by insurance premiums)
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Evaluation and later implementation
 Evaluate using a Randomised Control Trial design,
and ideally using collisions as the outcome
measure of interest
 Trial design provides a robust appraisal to be made
of the efficacy of each intervention, and permits
causality to be inferred
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Do you have any
questions?
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