FIRST YEAR EFFECTS IF 16-YEARS AGE LIMIT FOR DRIVER TRAINING IN SWEDEN

On September 1, 1993 Sweden lowered the age limit allowing the start of practice driving to 16 years. The licensing age is still 18. An evaluation was already designed before the age change. The evaluation consists of two main parts, one process evaluation and one effect evaluation. Two control groups are being used, one from the old system (before the change) and one from the new system. Students from the old system waited until 17 1/2 years of age before they started their training. The main idea behind the change was that the lower age limit would give the students opportunity to get increased experience behind the wheel in a safe way. The greater experience was expected to reduce their accident involvement. The process evaluation was designed to analyze the amount and content of the training. The effect evaluation aimed at analyzing changes in police reported and self reported accident involvement, exposure, driving style, motives for driving, attitudes, etc. The present state of the evaluation is that the process part is finished and the results of the first year of the effect evaluation is available. The process evaluation shows that 50% of the youngsters have used the opportunity to practice more by starting earlier. They are practicing approximately 3 times more than in the old system where the age limit was 17 1/2. The increased experience has led to a reduction in accidents. The size of this reduction is not yet available for publishing but will be reported at the conference. No changes in attitudes were found.

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• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  Glenthorne House, Hammersmith Grove
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• Authors:
  • GREGERSEN, N P
• Conference:
  • Traffic Safety on Two Continents
  • Location: Malmo, Sweden
  • Date: 1999-9-20 to 1999-9-22
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 57-60
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute
  • Publisher: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Attitudes; Driver experience; Driver training; Evaluation; Teenage drivers; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety
• Geographic Terms: Sweden
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00766093
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: VTI konferens 9A part 4
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 23 1999 12:00AM