CRASH RATES AND TRAFFIC MANEUVERS OF YOUNGER DRIVERS

Although the population of younger drivers has decreased over recent decades, their crash rates have increased. Research has associated their higher crash rates with societal influences and youthful behavior. Research was conducted to identify the specific driving maneuvers of which unsuccessful undertaking results in specific types of crashes involving younger drivers. Four types of crashes were identified as the most prominent for young drivers: intersection, rear end, passing, and single vehicle. The analysis was performed by examining the Kentucky crash database for the 1994-1996 period by using the quasi-induced exposure method. The results showed that for all crashes, there is a general trend of decreasing involvement with increasing age, which indicates that these drivers' inexperience is the largest single contributor to their increased crash rates. Of significance is that for all crashes, a dramatic decrease of involvement after the first year of driving between the ages of 16 and 17 is observed. This may be indicative of a steep learning curve in the first years of driving regarding the ability to control a vehicle. Therefore, little can be done to improve this phenomenon. Increasing awareness among young drivers about these issues and their likely crash involvement appears to be the only viable approach. However, preliminary efforts from the graduated license program show that some trends have been reduced, indicating a possible influence on the crash rates of young drivers.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/1779-10
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=CRASH+RATES+AND+TRAFFIC+MANEUVERS+OF+YOUNGER+DRIVERS&author=A.+KIRK&author=N.+Stamatiadis&publication_year=2001
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309072379
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1779, Traffic Safety 2001: Americans with Disabilities Act; Driver and Vehicle Modeling; Situation Awareness; Licensing; Driver Behavior; Enforcement; Trucks; and Motorcycles.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Kirk, A
  • Stamatiadis, N
• Publication Date: 2001

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 68-74
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1779
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Awareness; Behavior; Crash rates; Driver experience; Graduated licensing; Intersections; Passing; Rear end crashes; Single vehicle crashes; Teenage drivers; Trend (Statistics)
• Geographic Terms: Kentucky
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I81: Accident Statistics; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00824563
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309072379
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 12 2002 12:00AM