The crash rate amongst novice drivers in the State of Victoria, Australia varies (depending on age) between three and five times higher than the rate for more experienced drivers. A commonly held belief is that additional in-car training can increase road safety awareness in young drivers. Research in Australia and internationally does not support this contention. There is considerable evidence to suggest that novice drivers rapidly acquire the motor skills required to successfully control a car. The evidence would suggest that novice drivers take a great deal longer to acquire the cognitive skills dealing with how they look for hazards, how they interpret what they see, and what they do about it. The State of Victoria has now enacted legislation which imposes restrictions on the type of vehicle that may be driven until a Hazard Perception test is passed. It is planned to further extend the legislation so that a probationary driver licence holder may not become a full driver licence holder simply by the passage of time but will require successful completion of a Hazard Perception Test. The paper details the rationale underlying the Hazard Perception Test and potential strategies for its future applications. (A)
Abstract