A survey of novice riders and their riding experience prior to licensing

Graduated licensing schemes (GLS) have been found to reduce the crash risk of young novice drivers, but have demonstrated less success with novice motorcycle riders. This study aimed to examine the riding experience of a sample of Australian learner riders to establish the extent and variety of their riding practice during the learner stage. Riders were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire when they attended the provisional rider training course prior to the licensing test. The majority of participants were male, aged on average 33 years; worked fulltime; held an unrestricted driver's license and owned the motorcycle they rode. They had held their learner license for an average of 6 months; rode 6.4 hours per week and had ridden 101 hours in total prior to attempting the rider licensing test. Although their total hours of on-road practice were comparable to learner drivers at the same stage of licensing, they had less experience in adverse or challenging road conditions. A substantial proportion had little or no experience of riding at night or in the rain; in heavy traffic or central business districts; or on high speed roads or winding rural roads. These findings have highlighted the differences between novice riders and drivers. However, it is currently unclear whether specifying the conditions under which unsupervised riders should practice, prior to licensing, will reduce or increase their crash risk. Further research on this topic is warranted.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • de Rome, L
  • Ivers, R
  • Haworth, N
  • Heritier, S
  • Fitzharris, M
  • Du, W
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2010-1-10 to 2010-1-14
• Date: 2010-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: Transportation Research Board 89th Annual Meeting compendium of papers DVD, January 10-14, 2010, Washington, DC

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver experience; Graduated licensing; Highway safety; Motorcyclists; Questionnaires; Recently qualified drivers; Research
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (human factors)
• ATRI Terms: Driving experience; Graduated licence; Learner driver; Motorcyclist; Questionnaire; Research needs; Road safety
• Subject Areas: Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01382077
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Report/Paper Numbers: 10-2859
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 1:00PM