This study mainly explores the field of advanced driving courses in The Netherlands. An overview is given of the advanced courses currently offered for drivers and for motorcyclists. Most are one-day courses, with emphasis placed on vehicle control or on the accident prevention. Concerning training courses for motorcyclists, the public road is often used for practical lessons. A written survey was held amongst trainees. In addition, training school managers and the responsible driving instructors were interviewed. An important conclusion from these interviews is that the advanced driving course is generally aimed at skills or subjects which are inadequately or not dealt with in the basic driving course in the basic driving course programme. According to the the trainees' opinion, an advanced driving course appears to contribute to the various learning objectives. An example is the general vehicle control improvement. The advanced driving courses can make a modest contribution to road safety in the short term (one or two years). The study also describes six conditions under which the advanced driving courses could make a significant contribution to road safety. The Dutch government should play a more active, facilitating role in the field of advanced driving courses.
Samenvatting