The problem of reducing young driversÆ high accident rates has been approached from many different angles but a primary focus has been to try and find ways of changing the attitudes and behaviours of young people who are already drivers. It is hypothesised that there is a link between pre-driver attitudes, intentions and their future driving behaviour. By changing pre-driver attitudes and/or intentions, individuals may mature into safer drivers. This study approaches this young driver problem by looking at pre-driversÆ attitudes to driving to see how they change over time. The resultsfrom two questionnaires indicated significant gender differences and changes in responses (both long-term and short-term) over a 6-month period. Itis concluded that adolescent attitudes and intentions towards driving remain fluid such that they may be positively influenced through pre-driver interventions, even if only temporarily. Regular pre-driver interventions could thus reinforce safe driving messages and create safety-conscious driving attitudes in the next generation of drivers. (A) Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
Abstract