Research has consistently shown that GDL programs are effective in reducing collisions involving young drivers. This study also provided evidence of the benefits of GDL. A later entry age for obtaining a learner’s permit was associated with fewer crashes. In the intermediate stage, nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions were also associated with lower crash rates, despite the fact that some teens did not always comply with them. Nevertheless, young drivers who are protected by GDL continue to crash at unacceptably high levels. The research reported here provided some new insights into why this is the case. One reason is that important, protective features are missing from some GDL programs. Study results underscore the importance of strong learner and intermediate stages in GDL programs. The learner stage should include an older entry age of at least 16, a learner period that lasts for more than 6 months, and a requirement for certified driving practice. The intermediate stage should include a night restriction that begins relatively early, such as 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m., and a prohibition on teen passengers when the novice is driving unsupervised. A second reason is that compliance with GDL is far from perfect, and in this study collision-involved teens were more likely than collision-free teens to breach night and passenger restrictions. The police and, perhaps more importantly, parents should play more active roles in ensuring teens comply with the provisions of the GDL program. Finally, this study showed that many teens in jurisdictions with GDL programs crash at times or under conditions not addressed by the GDL program. This finding underscores that GDL cannot be viewed as a panacea for collisions involving young drivers, and complementary measures such as driver education and parental management of teen driving, are needed to address the problem. The present study provided new information that can address key experience- and age-related factors associated with crash risk. It also emphasized the important role of parents in monitoring and managing teen driving behavior, as well as the need to provide parents with tools and resources to facilitate effective oversight. (Author/publisher)
Abstract