This paper is a cover note on five Traffic Research Centre (VSC) reports. These reports have been carried out in the context of the "Development of risky driving behaviour" research project. This project concentrates on risky drivers' behaviour, as far as this behaviour is based on errors. The project investigates how: (1) decision errors and the other kinds of error arise in the driving behaviour; and (2) the pattern of different kinds of error develops, when driving experience increases. The substudies discussed were concerned with: (i) the educational learning process; (ii) the learning process just before and after passing the examination for a driving licence; (iii) how age or experience influence the driving behaviour; (iv) analyzing the contents of the instruction method followed. The paper also contains a consideration on hypotheses formulated in a VSC literature study. The central and underlying hypothesis is that experienced drivers have a great diversity of "automatic behavioural routines". These routines demand little "energy", and are less error prone. Recommendations are made regarding the driving instruction and traffic education. See also IRRD 804026, 814263, 822636, 835921, and 844715.
Abstract