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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

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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

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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

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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

Queensland Pre-July 2007 Queensland Post-July 2007Learner Theory Test Learner Theory Test

Minimum age 16.5 years Minimum age 16 years

Hold for a minimum of 6 months Hold for a minimum of 12 months

Zero alcohol limit (if < 25 years) Zero alcohol limit (if < 25 years *)

Must be supervised Must be supervised

Must display L plates Must display L plates

Can accumulate 3 demerit points Can accumulate 3 demerit points

Must carry licence Must carry licence

Record 100 hours in logbook

Must not use mobile in any wayPassenger(s) must not use mobile on loudspeaker function

Practical Driving Assessment Practical Driving Assessment

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Queensland Pre-July 2007 Queensland Post-July 2007Practical Driving Assessment Practical Driving Assessment

Provisional Licence Provisional Licence P1

Minimum age 17 years Minimum age 17 years

Must be held 3 years (< 23 yrs); 2 years (23 yrs); 1 year (≥ 24 yrs)

Must be held minimum 1 year

Can incur 3 demerit points Can incur 3 demerit points in 1 yr

Zero alcohol limit (< 25 years) Zero alcohol limit (< 25 years)

Only 1 passenger < 21 years 11pm-5am (excl. immediate family)Must display plates

Must not use mobile in any wayPassenger(s) must not use mobile on loudspeaker functionHigh-powered vehicle restriction

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Queensland Pre-July 2007 Queensland Post-July 2007

Hazard Perception Test Provisional Licence P2

Minimum age 17 yearsMust be held 2 years (23-25 yrs); 1 year (P1 issued to driver < 23yrs, driver now ≥ 25 yrs or P1 issued to driver aged 23 yrs, driver now aged ≥ 24 years)Can incur 3 demerit points

Zero alcohol limit (< 25 years)

High-powered vehicle restriction

Must display plates

Method Pre-July 2007GDL Program

Post-July 2007 GDL Program

Recruitment• 2006, early 2007• Recruited in-person from North Brisbane/ Townsville

• April, May, June 2010• Recruited Queensland- wide with Flyer when passed practical test

Participants • 219 Novices (53% female)• 17-19 years subsample 149 Novices (50% female)

• 1032 Novices (59% female)• 17-19 years subsample

183 Learners (60% female)

Design and Procedure

• 35-minute telephone interview• One 30-minute telephone interview after 18 months

• 30-minute online/ paper survey• Two 20-minute surveys after 6 and 12 months

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Methodologies: Pre- and Post-July 2007

Results: Sociodemographics

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Characteristic Original-GDL(n = 149)

Enhanced-GDL (n = 183) p

Age when P1-licensed (M, SD) 17.5 (0.7) 17.5 (0.7) = .88

Gender (Female) 51.7% 60.7% = .10

Marital Status (Single) 91.3% 98.9% < .01

Education (Year 12) 97.3% 90.1% < .05

Study Status (Studying) 69.2% 82.0% < .01

Employment Status (Working)

89.2% 74.3% < .01

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Driving Practice

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CharacteristicOriginal-GDL

(n = 149)Hours (M, SD)

Enhanced-GDL (n = 183) Hours (M, SD)

p

Reported logbook hours – 108.8 (12.7) –

Reported driving practice 63.3 (48.0) 92.4 (24.8) < .001

Driving practice with parents/ friends

52.8 (45.8) 83.3 (25.6) < .001

Driving practice with professional instructor

11.5 (15.8) 9.8 (8.7) = .24

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Duration, Difficulty and Tests

Characteristic Original-GDL(n = 149)

Enhanced-GDL (n = 183) p

Duration of the Learner period (Months) (M, SD)

12.4 (6.8) 16.5 (5.8) < .001

Difficulty obtaining supervised practice (“Difficult”)

35.3% 23.2% = .14

“Difficult” to practice Females Males

50.0%19.8%

28.0%14.7%

< .05= .82

Gained P1 licence on first attempt

61.5% 68.2% = .21

Number of attempts to pass practical test (M, SD)

1.5 (0.7) 1.3 (0.7) = .09

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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

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• 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 [1]

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• 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

Compliance with GDL/ General Rules [2]

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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?

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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

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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

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Questions?

Contact Details: Bridie Scott-Parker, PhD Candidate under examination.

Email: b.scott-parker@qut.edu.au

20www.t2013.com

20th International Council on Alcohol, Drugs & Traffic Safety Conference