The experiences of novices in an enhanced graduated driver licensing (GDL) program in Queensland, Australia Mrs Bridie Scott-Parker, PhD candidate under examination Supervisors: Prof Barry Watson, Dr Mark King, Dr Melissa Hyde Former-GDL data : Dr Lyndel Bates 1

Overview Young novice drivers The Queensland graduated driver licensing (GDL) context –Pre-July 2007 (‘Original-GDL’) –Post-July 2007 (‘Enhanced-GDL’) Experiences of Learners in Queensland’s enhanced-GDL program –Pre-/post-July 2007 comparison –Post-July 2007 only Implications Strengths and limitations 2

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Young Novice Drivers [1] Statistics –Australia, year olds: 13% of population, 26% of driver fatalities –Queensland, 2010 Young drivers were involved in 36% of all crashes resulting in at least one person being hospitalised –Queensland, 1 July 2004 – 30 June 2009 The young driver was at fault in 81% of fatalities and 72% of hospitalisations 4

Young Novice Drivers [2] Greatest risk to novices –During the first 6 months of independent driving Graduated driver licensing –Gradual exposure to conditions of increased risk –Learner period provides opportunity for foundation of safe driving to reduce risk during later independent driving 5

Queensland Pre-July 2007Queensland Post-July 2007 Learner Theory Test Minimum age 16.5 yearsMinimum age 16 years Hold for a minimum of 6 monthsHold for a minimum of 12 months Zero alcohol limit (if < 25 years)Zero alcohol limit (if < 25 years *) Must be supervised Must display L plates Can accumulate 3 demerit points Must carry licence Record 100 hours in logbook Must not use mobile in any way Passenger(s) must not use mobile on loudspeaker function Practical Driving Assessment 6

Queensland Pre-July 2007Queensland Post-July 2007 Practical Driving Assessment Provisional LicenceProvisional Licence P1 Minimum age 17 years Must be held 3 years (< 23 yrs); 2 years (23 yrs); 1 year (≥ 24 yrs) Must be held minimum 1 year Can incur 3 demerit pointsCan incur 3 demerit points in 1 yr Zero alcohol limit (< 25 years) Only 1 passenger < 21 years 11pm-5am (excl. immediate family) Must display plates Must not use mobile in any way Passenger(s) must not use mobile on loudspeaker function High-powered vehicle restriction 7

Queensland Pre-July 2007Queensland Post-July 2007 Hazard Perception Test Provisional Licence P2 Minimum age 17 years Must be held 2 years (23-25 yrs); 1 year (P1 issued to driver < 23yrs, driver now ≥ 25 yrs or P1 issued to driver aged 23 yrs, driver now aged ≥ 24 years) Can incur 3 demerit points Zero alcohol limit (< 25 years) High-powered vehicle restriction Must display plates 8

MethodPre-July 2007 GDL Program Post-July 2007 GDL Program Recruitment 2006, early 2007 Recruited in-person from North Brisbane/ Townsville April, May, June 2010 Recruited Queensland- wide with Flyer when passed practical test Participants 219 Novices (53% female) years subsample 149 Novices (50% female) 1032 Novices (59% female) years subsample 183 Learners (60% female) Design and Procedure 35-minute telephone interview One 30-minute telephone interview after 18 months 30-minute online/ paper survey Two 20-minute surveys after 6 and 12 months 9 Methodologies: Pre- and Post-July 2007

Results: Sociodemographics 10 Characteristic Original-GDL (n = 149) Enhanced- GDL (n = 183) p Age when P1-licensed (M, SD)17.5 (0.7) =.88 Gender (Female)51.7%60.7%=.10 Marital Status (Single)91.3%98.9%<.01 Education (Year 12)97.3%90.1%<.05 Study Status (Studying)69.2%82.0%<.01 Employment Status (Working) 89.2%74.3%<.01

Driving Practice 11 Characteristic Original-GDL (n = 149) Hours (M, SD) Enhanced- GDL (n = 183) Hours (M, SD) p Reported logbook hours–108.8 (12.7)– Reported driving practice63.3 (48.0)92.4 (24.8)<.001 Driving practice with parents/ friends 52.8 (45.8)83.3 (25.6)<.001 Driving practice with professional instructor 11.5 (15.8) 9.8 (8.7)=.24 11

Duration, Difficulty and Tests Characteristic Original-GDL (n = 149) Enhanced-GDL (n = 183) p Duration of the Learner period (Months) (M, SD) 12.4 (6.8)16.5 (5.8)<.001 Difficulty obtaining supervised practice (“Difficult”) 35.3%23.2%=.14 “Difficult” to practice Females Males 50.0% 19.8% 28.0% 14.7% <.05 =.82 Gained P1 licence on first attempt 61.5%68.2%=.21 Number of attempts to pass practical test (M, SD) 1.5 (0.7)1.3 (0.7)=.09 12

Post July-2007 When did Learners have most driving practice? –One third “throughout” BUT –50% of males & 60% of females “mainly at end” Continued practising after submitting logbook and waiting for practical driving assessment? –95% yes Logbook accuracy –83% logbook accurate –13% ‘some rounding up’ –4% included extra hours 13

Pre-Licence driving –Reported by 12% of Learners Unsupervised driving –Reported by 12% of Learners Speeding –70% of Learners reported speeding by up to 10 km/hr –32% of Learners reported speeding by km/hr –13% of Learners reported speeding by > 20 km/h –Learners continue speeding at greater amounts and more frequently as Provisional 1 (P1) drivers Compliance with GDL/ General Rules [1] 14

Punishment avoidance –Some Learners (and P1) drivers reported their parents took the demerit points on their behalf –Some Learners successfully talked themselves out of a ticket for the same offence on multiple occasions, or multiple simultaneous offences were missed by Police –One quarter of males reported that they actively avoided on-road Police presence Compliance with GDL/ General Rules [2] 15

Implications [1] Longer Learner period, same age L P –Overall longer Learner duration BUT no difference in age of independent licensure –BUT ‘Older’ young novices report more difficulty/ longer Learner duration/ more unsupervised driving/ greater logbook inaccuracy Practice –More practice, = more safe? (reduced crashes/ offences) –Less difficulty in obtaining supervised practice (females) –‘Most at end’: persistent practice effects vs ‘cramming’? –Not practising after submitting logbook: focus upon accruing hours? 16

Implications [2] Non-compliance and punishment-avoidance –Suggests supervisors (most commonly parents and friends) are complicit, or less-effective than they could be {NB will be discussed further by Prof Barry Watson} –Punishment-avoiders/ Police-avoiders more risky drivers in general 17

Strengths and Limitations Self-report data (surveys, interviews) –Difficult to investigate behaviours any other way Low response rate in online surveys/ high attrition for longitudinal research, despite incentives –Young novice drivers difficult to recruit/ retain Greater participation of females –Separate gender analyses Generalisability of findings (small, matched sample for GDL-comparison) –Results need to be confirmed by larger-scale evaluations 18

19 Questions? Contact Details: Bridie Scott-Parker, PhD Candidate under examination.

20 th International Council on Alcohol, Drugs & Traffic Safety Conference 20