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The experiences of novices in an enhanced graduated driver licensing (GDL) program in Queensland, Australia . Mrs Bridie Scott-Parker, PhD candidate under examination Supervisors: Prof Barry Watson, Dr Mark King, Dr Melissa Hyde Former-GDL data : Dr Lyndel Bates. Overview .
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The experiences of novices in an enhanced graduated driver licensing (GDL) program in Queensland, Australia Mrs Bridie Scott-Parker, PhD candidate under examination Supervisors: Prof Barry Watson, Dr Mark King, Dr Melissa Hyde Former-GDL data : Dr Lyndel Bates
Overview • Young novice drivers • The Queensland graduated driver licensing (GDL) context • Pre-July 2007 (‘Original-GDL’) • Post-July 2007 (‘Enhanced-GDL’) • Experiences of Learners in Queensland’s enhanced-GDL program • Pre-/post-July 2007 comparison • Post-July 2007 only • Implications • Strengths and limitations
Young Novice Drivers [1] • Statistics • Australia, 2010 • 17-25 year olds: 13% of population, 26% of driver fatalities • Queensland, 2010 • Young drivers were involved in 36% of all crashes resulting in at least one person being hospitalised • Queensland, 1 July 2004 – 30 June 2009 • The young driver was at fault in 81% of fatalities and 72% of hospitalisations
Young Novice Drivers [2] • Greatest risk to novices • During the first 6 months of independent driving • Graduated driver licensing • Gradual exposure to conditions of increased risk • Learner period provides opportunity for foundation of safe driving to reduce risk during later independent driving
Post July-2007 • When did Learners have most driving practice? • One third “throughout” BUT • 50% of males & 60% of females “mainly at end” • Continued practising after submitting logbook and waiting for practical driving assessment? • 95% yes • Logbook accuracy • 83% logbook accurate • 13% ‘some rounding up’ • 4% included extra hours
Compliance with GDL/ General Rules [1] • Pre-Licence driving • Reported by 12% of Learners • Unsupervised driving • Reported by 12% of Learners • Speeding • 70% of Learners reported speeding by up to 10 km/hr • 32% of Learners reported speeding by 10-20 km/hr • 13% of Learners reported speeding by > 20 km/h • Learners continue speeding at greater amounts and more frequently as Provisional 1 (P1) drivers
Compliance with GDL/ General Rules [2] • Punishment avoidance • Some Learners (and P1) drivers reported their parents took the demerit points on their behalf • Some Learners successfully talked themselves out of a ticket for the same offence on multiple occasions, or multiple simultaneous offences were missed by Police • One quarter of males reported that they actively avoided on-road Police presence
Implications [1] • Longer Learner period, same age L P • Overall longer Learner duration BUT no difference in age of independent licensure • BUT ‘Older’ young novices report more difficulty/ longer Learner duration/ more unsupervised driving/ greater logbook inaccuracy • Practice • More practice, = more safe? (reduced crashes/ offences) • Less difficulty in obtaining supervised practice (females) • ‘Most at end’: persistent practice effects vs ‘cramming’? • Not practising after submitting logbook: focus upon accruing hours?
Implications [2] • Non-compliance and punishment-avoidance • Suggests supervisors (most commonly parents and friends) are • complicit, or • less-effective than they could be • {NB will be discussed further by Prof Barry Watson} • Punishment-avoiders/ Police-avoiders more risky drivers in general
Strengths and Limitations • Self-report data (surveys, interviews) • Difficult to investigate behaviours any other way • Low response rate in online surveys/ high attrition for longitudinal research, despite incentives • Young novice drivers difficult to recruit/ retain • Greater participation of females • Separate gender analyses • Generalisability of findings (small, matched sample for GDL-comparison) • Results need to be confirmed by larger-scale evaluations
Questions? Contact Details:Bridie Scott-Parker, PhD Candidate under examination. Email: b.scott-parker@qut.edu.au
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