DRIVER EDUCATION RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES - CAN THE NEW DIRECTIONS BE SUPPORTED

A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE IN THE U.S. TO LOWER THE PRIORITY OF FORMAL DRIVER EDUCATION AS A HIGHWAY SAFETY COUNTERMEASURE. ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS FOR THIS DECISION IS THE LACK OF CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THAT CURRENT FORMAL PROGRAMS REDUCE ACCIDENTS. HOWEVER, PAST RESEARCH IN DRIVER EDUCATION HAS BEEN CRITICIZED FOR METHODOLOGICAL WEAKNESS AND THE USE OF AN UNRELIABLE AND INVALID CRITERION (ACCIDENT FREQUENCY) TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT IT IS DOUBTFUL WHETHER CURRENT PROGRAMS HAVE EVER BEEN EVALUATED IN A SCIENTIFICALLY ACCEPTABLE MANNER. THE DISCUSSION PRESENTS A PLAN FOR THIS TYPE OF EVALUATION AND QUESTIONS THE RATIONALE UNDERLYING THE DIRECTION OF CURRENT DRIVER EDUCATION RESEARCH EFFORTS WHICH ARE ORIENTED TOWARD ANALYZING THE DRIVING TASK. ALSO DISCUSSED ARE THE CONTROL AND CRITERIA PROBLEMS FOUND IN PAST STUDIES WITH A VIEW TO UPGRADING FUTURE EFFORTS. /AUTHOR/

• Corporate Authors:

  Intl Symp Psy Aspect Dr Behavior /Neth

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Planek, T W
• Publication Date: 1971

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 18 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver training; Evaluation; Highway safety; Methodology; Testing
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221850
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 17 1973 12:00AM