This study investigated the relative importance of youth and lack of driving experience as contributors to the over-representation of young drivers in traffic crashes. Interviews were conducted with drivers aged 16-29 to collect information on their personal characteristics, travel patterns and crash histories. After allowing for differences in exposure, crash involvement was found to be associated with lack of driving experience and with high levels of recklessness. Recklessness was higher amongst younger drivers. Drivers who obtain a licence relatively early were no more reckless than those who are licensed when somewhat older. Young males were significantly more reckless than young females but did not have higher crash risk. Thus, skill levels may be higher among young males, compensating for their greater recklessness. Although experience was found to be more important than age in determining crash risk, the high correlation between the two means that the issue cannot be resolved beyond all doubt. Future research should directly address the skill and motivational variables relevant to crash risk, rather than relying on experience and age as proxies. The report concludes with recommendations for countermeasure development. (A)
Abstract