IDENTIFYING SUBTYPES OF YOUNG NOVICE DRIVERS: IMPLICATIONS FOR MATCHING TRAINING TO THE NEEDS OF THE DRIVER

Although there is a large body of literature on the young novice driver problem, traditional approaches to driver training have proven to be ineffective. More recently, several techniques for training critical driving skills have shown a great deal of promise. Furthermore, it is argued that young novice drivers are not a homogenous group and that training might be most effective when tailored to the needs of specific driver subtypes. Two separate but related studies are reported. The aim of Study 1 was to obtain empirical support for the presence of driver subtypes in the young novice driver population. The aim of Study 2 was to examine whether or not the young novice driver subtypes differed in terms of their simulated driving performance. A subset of participants from Study 1 drove several scenarios in a driving simulator. Differences were observed in the way that the novice driver subtypes responded both to an emergency situation and to several potential traffic hazards in the simulator. Differences were also evident in the proficiency with which they could control their attention among concurrent tasks while driving. Most of the statistically significant differences were related to skill decrements for the two highest risk novice driver subtypes. Several training techniques are described that seem to be particularly appropriate for the highest risk young novice driver subtypes. Recommendations are also made for further research and development. (a)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0732614406
• Corporate Authors:

  Monash University

  Accident Research Centre
  Building 70
  Clayton, Victoria  Australia  3800
• Authors:
  • DEERY, H
  • KOWADLO, N
  • WESTPHAL-WEDDING, T
  • Fildes, B
• Publication Date: 1998-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 113 p.
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 142

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggression; Alertness; Aptitude; Attitudes; Behavior; Competition; Crimes; Demographics; Driver performance; Driver training; Drivers; Driving; Education; High risk drivers; Performance; Personality; Recently qualified drivers; Risk taking; Simulation; Speed; Travelers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Characteristics
• ITRD Terms: 2279: Accident proneness; 2287: Aggressiveness (psychol); 2238: Attention; 2267: Attitude (psychol); 9001: Behaviour; 235: Competition; 1571: Driver training; 1855: Driving (veh); 2226: Driving aptitude; 2284: Education; 1516: Offence; 2258: Personality; 335: Population; 5925: Properties; 1782: Recently qualified driver; 2259: Risk taking; 9103: Simulation; 2205: Skill (road user); 5408: Speed
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00769824
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-7326-1440-6
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 7 1999 12:00AM