Differential effects of formal and informal driver training

The three-year project reported on here sought to examine the experience gained and progress made by those taking a mixture of professional instruction and private tuition when learning to drive. The elements of the project were: a large-scale survey of almost 900 drivers taking the practical driving test in 1998, and a longitudinal study of some 150-plus teenage drivers, whose progress when learning to drive was closely monitored through diaries, self-assessments, direct observation of their actual driving, and the instruction they received from the person they nominated as their main teacher. A number of important findings emerged from this unique study of the development of driving attitudes and skills. Taken together, the results reported here suggest that learning with parents and learning with professional instructors give rise to quite different experiences, and that there are benefits and dis-benefits of professional driving instruction and private tuition. The main implication of the present research, however, is that increasing time behind the wheel, and increasing the variety of conditions under which this experience is amassed, would greatly enhance the acquisition, retention and transfer of L-drivers' skills. Both professional instruction and non-professional tuition have a crucial role to play in bringing this about.

• Record URL:
  • http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme2/thedifferentialeffectsofform.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Great Britain. Department for Transport

  London,    
• Authors:
  • Groeger, J A
  • Brady, S
• Publication Date: 2004-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 121p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 42

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Driver experience; Driver performance; Driver training; Driving instructors; Evaluation; Highway safety; Parents; Recently qualified drivers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (human factors)
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ATRI Terms: Driver performance; Driver training; Driving experience; Driving instructor; Evaluation; Learner driver; Parent; Road safety
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01386462
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 9:20PM