Psychosocial Factors as Predictors of Motor Vehicle Crashes and Traffic Offences Among Young Drivers

Résumé du livre

Across highly motorised Western countries, young motor vehicle drivers evidence a substantially higher risk of crashing compared with older, more experienced drivers. In addition, young drivers are also known to have a higher propensity for speeding and a higher likelihood of being involved in a speed related crash. The overall objectives of this research were to (i) describe the pattern and incidence of crashing and speeding offences among young drivers in their first year of licensing, (ii) determine the relationship between driver psychosocial factors and crashing and speeding offences in the first year of licensing, and to (iii) determine the relationship between speeding offences and crashing for the first year of licensing. These represent the first year objectives of a three-year longitudinal study. A sample cohort of 1,277 newly licensed 17-year old motor vehicle drivers were recruited from Licensing Centres across the metropolitan Perth area. Each driver completed an omnibus questionnaire covering pre-licence driving experience and a range of psychosocial and behavioural factors related to driving. At 12-months postlicensing, details of the drivers' involvement in police recorded crashes and Traffic Infringement Notices incurred for speeding were obtained and linked to the driver information collected at the time of licensing. Approximately 14% of drivers in the cohort crashed within the first 12-months of licensure, with twice as many drivers incurring one or more infringement notices for speeding. Psychosocial information obtained from drivers at the time of licensing was found to be significantly predictive of both crashes and speeding infringements in the In first year of licensing. Whilst methodological limitations have restricted the generalisability of the crash findings, the findings for the speeding infringement data do provide useful information for the management of young drivers and speeding behaviour.local growers. Nev.