VicRoads conducts surveys to monitor the amount and variety of driving experience accumulated by novice drivers. A snapshot of learner driver information in May of a particular year is used to produce estimates for the entire learner permit period. ARRB Transport Research was commissioned to compare the results of the 1999 and 2000 surveys. Each survey involved interviews with a sample of over 1300 novice drivers stratified by sex, region of Victoria and time holding a learner permit. Information was collected about time spent in professional driving lessons and supervised driving practice; the variety of driving conditions encountered during supervised practice; the effectiveness of programs for novice drivers conducted by VicRoads and other road safety stakeholders; and other related issues. Survey data were weighted prior to analysis to ensure they were representative of driving by all Victorian learner permit holders. The estimated average amount of experience accumulated by a novice driver through professional lessons and supervised practice was 83.0 hours in the 1999 survey and 85.9 hours in the 2000 survey. The average duration of a learner permit was 82.7 weeks in 1999 and 83.9 weeks in 2000. The proportion of total driving experience gained via professional lessons (as opposed to supervised practice) was 14.3% in the 1999 survey and 12.7% in the 2000 survey. Statistical testing of differences between 1999 and 2000 was not possible. In both surveys, the average driving experience accumulated by learner permit holders was higher for males than for females. Average driving experience during the learner permit period was lower for learners living in Melbourne than for those living in provincial centres, who in turn accumulated less experience than learners from the rest of Victoria. Average experience was higher for those who acquired the learner permit at age 16 years than for those who acquired the permit at age 17 years or more. (Author/publisher)
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