THE YOUNG DRIVER PROBLEM: OVERBLOWN OR UNDERSTATED?

The evidence of a young driver "problem" varies considerably with the measurements of collision risk used. The evidence of a problem appears in the proportion of deaths attributable to motor vehicle accidents among fifteen to twenty-four year olds; the actual death rates are low for women of all ages although high for young men. These differences reflect differences in the number of licensed drivers; they also reflect the overall risk of accident involvement at each age, not the fact that collisions are likely to be severe in young male drivers. Since the occurrence of accidents is related to age but the severity is not, the problem may be due to differences in amounts driven, or to the ability of the driver to handle or avoid dangerous situations. There is evidence that drivers of any age who have a record of several recent traffic convictions have increased risk of accidents. For a given level of convictions, there is little difference between drivers under twenty-five and those aged twenty-six to forty-five. However, very young drivers drive significantly less than older drivers with the same kind of driving record. This difference in exposure may mask a real difference in risk. In part, this may be explained by differences in type of driving: young drivers do more driving at night but drive approximately the same proportions on highways or city streets as older drivers do. (Author/TRRL)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • From the Proceedings of an international symposium conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada.
• Corporate Authors:

  Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF)

  Ottowa, Ontario  Canada 
• Authors:
  • Chipman, M L
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 5-18
• Serial:
  • Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada
  • Publisher: Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Age; Crash exposure; Crash rates; Crash severity; Drivers; Hazards; Night; Risk assessment; Teenage drivers; Vehicle miles of travel
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver age
• ITRD Terms: 2279: Accident proneness; 1612: Accident rate; 1748: Adolescent; 1757: Age; 9001: Behaviour; 8525: Conference; 1772: Driver; 1855: Driving (veh); 1602: Fatality; 6488: Length; 1787: Man; 9052: Night; 9150: Risk; 1623: Severity (accid, injury); 1788: Woman
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00459237
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 31 1986 12:00AM