Speeding is acknowledged as one of the major risk factors for the involvement of young and novice drivers in motor vehicle crashes. The use of high performance vehicles by novice drivers is perceived to contribute to both their risk of speeding and crashing. There is however, no consistent empirical evidence to support this perception. The primary aim of this study was to assess the relationship between vehicle power to weight ratio and the risk of involvement in a serious injury crash for drivers in their first two years of licensing. The univariate findings of 662 crashes and the analysis of 84 case-control pairs provided evidence to suggest that young novice driver serious injury crashes are not characterised by ‘high’ vehicle power to weight ratios, nor is vehicle power to weight ratio statistically associated with an increase in the odds of being involved in a serious injury crash. The report concluded with three recommendations addressing young novice drivers and vehicle restrictions, sanctions for speeding, and vehicle selection education, and one additional recommendation for the inclusion of vehicle power output information in the registration details of new vehicles. (Author/publisher)
Abstract