Variation in Teen Driver Education by State Requirements and Sociodemographics

Abstract

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Most states require driver education (DE) for novice drivers, and several recent substantial efforts have sought to realign DE with the aim of producing safer drivers. However, teen participation rates and how they differ among relevant subgroups remain unknown. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:This study provides national estimates of teen driver participation in formal DE, a recognized gap in the literature, and identifies disparities in behind-the-wheel training among certain racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and gender groups, particularly in jurisdictions without a DE requirement. abstract OBJECTIVE: There is renewed attention on national standardization of formal driver education (DE) instruction and momentum toward realigning DE with its original goal of producing safer teen drivers. However, teen DE participation rates and how they differ among sociodemographic groups and in states with and without DE requirements remain largely unknown. Thus, our objective was to estimate national teen participation rates in formal classroom and behind-the-wheel DE instruction in relevant demographic subgroups and also estimate subgroup-specific participation rates by presence of a state DE requirement.METHODS: Data were collected via the National Young Driver Survey, administered to a nationally representative sample of 5665 public school 9th-through 11th-graders in Spring 2006. Analyses were restricted to 1770 students with driver licenses. Survey data were weighted to reflect national prevalence estimates. RESULTS:Overall, 78.8% of students reported participating in formal DE. However, in states without DE requirements, more than 1 in 3 students had no formal DE before licensure, and more than half had no behind-the-wheel training. Hispanics, blacks, males, and students with lower academic achievement participated in DE at markedly lower levels than counterparts in states with requirements. Notably, 71% of Hispanic students in states with no requirement received a license without receiving formal DE. Inexperience is a main underlying factor contributing to the high per-mile crash rate of novice teen drivers. 1 Crash rates drop as novice drivers gain road experience postlicensure, illustrating the benefit of behind-the-wheel (BTW) experience to teen driving safety. 2 During the learning-to-drive phase, this experience may be gained through adult-supervised instruction and practice, which allow for acquisition of knowledge of the rules of the road, basic maneuvering and vehicle handling skills, and abilities to recognize hazards and avoid crashes. 3 One forum through which formal supervised instruction may occur during the learner phase is driver education (DE), which traditionally includes 30 hours in the classroom and 6 hours BTW with a certified driving instructor. Although an originally stated key objective of DE was to produce safer teen drivers, evaluations have failed to show that DE reduces crash rates. 4 This may be due in part to a digression between a largely unchanged DE framework and scientif...

Evaluation of Beginner Driver Education in Oregon

“…Today and for many years, most jurisdictions in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere have delivered DE in high schools and/or commercial driving schools. Most recently, a U.S. National Young Driver survey administered in public schools revealed that almost 80% of students with a driver's license reported participating in formal DE [1]. These programs typically consist of both "theoretical" instruction in the classroom and "practical" training in the vehicle [2].…”

Driving errors of learner teens: Frequency, nature and their association with practice

“…Current estimates indicate that the majority of US teens receive some form of professional driver education, typically 6 h of behind-the-wheel (BTW) instruction and 30 h of classroom lessons (Chaudhary et al, 2011;Curry et al, 2012). In addition, nearly all teens engage in supervised practice driving with adult family members, usually parents (Goodwin et al, 2006).…”

The Roles and Performance of Professional Driving Instructors in Novice Driver Education

“…2,6 The pre-licence learning-to-drive phase is important for new drivers to overcome issues associated with inexperience, gain exposure to road traffic rules, train their basic manoeuvring and vehicle handling skills and learn to recognise hazards. 7 In GDL, for example, additional curfew restrictions can also address immaturity issues in novice drivers and serve to eliminate external influences which can lead to road traffic accidents. 6 Every country has a different set of regulations for driver licensing, at either the national or regional level, as well as its own unique philosophy and approach to driving.…”

“…6 Every country has a different set of regulations for driver licensing, at either the national or regional level, as well as its own unique philosophy and approach to driving. 7,8 For example, differences exist in the minimum age permitted to start the licensing process; the training approach (including the number of required training hours and final assessment type); and various restrictions prior to full licensing. 7,9 The GDL licensing process is divided into learner, intermediate/provisional and full license stages.…”

“…7,8 For example, differences exist in the minimum age permitted to start the licensing process; the training approach (including the number of required training hours and final assessment type); and various restrictions prior to full licensing. 7,9 The GDL licensing process is divided into learner, intermediate/provisional and full license stages. 6 In the first stage, learner drivers (LDs) must obtain practical driving experience in a low-risk environment with guidance from a more experienced driver.…”