SYSTEMATIC COOPERATION BETWEEN DRIVING SCHOOLS AND PARENTS IN DRIVER EDUCATION, AN EXPERIMENT

The overall purpose of the experiment is to study the effects of various educational changes as a measure for preventing accidents among young drivers. The hypothesis is that accident risks among young drivers, normally educated by private instructors, i.e. parents, will be reduced if complementary professional education and support are provided. To analyze the effect of this combination of private and complementary professional driver education compared to solely private instruction, nearly 2,000 young people, 17 years old, were divided into two groups. The experimental group was given professionally supported education and the control group was educated by parents or other private teachers. The changes comprised three parts, systematic cooperation between driving school and parents, ''commentary driving'' to improve scanning behaviour, and special practice to help the learner experience his own limitations in driving skill. The results based on self-reported accident show negative effects during the first year and positive effects of the changes during the second year after licensing. When the two years were added, no significant change was found. Questionnaire data in subjective skill and driving style showed small changes, the experimental group being a little more careful and a little less self-confident. The results are discussed in terms of cognitive overload and the learners' limited capacity to benefit from the changes during the first of the two years.