THIS PAPER IS THE FOURTH IN A SERIES BY THE AUTHOR, REPORTING ON THE RESULTS OF THE 1963-64 QUEENSLAND VEHICLE-MILE PERFORMANCE SURVEY. IN THIS PART CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO THE AGE OF THE DRIVER. THE AUTHOR FIRST CONSIDERS THE TOTAL ANNUAL MILEAGE OF THE DRIVER POPULATION CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO AGE OF DRIVER, FOLLOWED BY THE TOTAL ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT ALSO CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THE DRIVER'S AGE, AND COMPARES THE VARIATION. A STUDY IS PRESENTED OF THE INVOLVEMENT RATES FOR THESE SETS OF VARIABLES. IN CONSIDERATION OF THE AGE OF THE DRIVER BEING THE MAIN VARIABLE, A SERIES OF CHARTS AND TABLES PROVIDES STATISTICAL DATA TO ASSIST A DISCUSSION ON THE AGE OF DRIVER RELATED TO THE SEVERITY OF ACCIDENT, TYPE OF ACCIDENT, TYPE OF AREA OF ACCIDENT, TYPE OF VEHICLE, HOURLY VARIATION, DAY-OF-WEEK OF ACCIDENT AND VEHICLE OCCUPANCY. THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAR ARE ALSO CONSIDERED, RESTRICTED TO THE BRISBANE METROPOLITAN AREA, AND TO PASSENGER CARS, STATION WAGGONS AND TAXIS. IT IS SHOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE RISK OF ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT FOR A DRIVER UNDER 20 IS THREE-AND-A-HALF TIMES THAT OF THE OVERALL RISK, AND NEARLY SIX-AND-A-HALF TIMES THE RISK FOR A DRIVER OVER FIFTY. ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT RATES ARE SHOWN TO FALL WITH INCREASE IN DRIVER'S AGE (AND EXPERIENCE), WITH THE RISK STABILISING BEYOND AGE 60. FOR PARTS 1, 2 AND 3, SEE IRRD ABSTRACTS NOS 215188, 222068 AND 225836.
Abstract