Are young drivers as careful as they deem? In vehicle data recorders and self reports evaluations

Gila Albert,Einat Grimberg,Tomer Toledo,Mariano Lasebnik,Tsippy Lotan

doi:10.1007/s12544-014-0146-0

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the driving behavior of young drivers few years after licensure based on two different evaluation approaches, which are used in a complementary manner. The evaluation was done with respect to driving exposure and trip safety. The evaluation is based on two data collection approaches, which were compiled for the same trips: The first, In Vehicle Data Recorders (IVDR), which were installed in the young drivers’ vehicles for a study period of 8 months. The second, Self-Reports (SR), which were provided by the young drivers at random times throughout the study period. These data have been compared and used in a complementary manner in order to provide an understanding of participants’ driving behavior. The results show high correlation of driving exposure which was self-reported and these obtained from IVDR. The results also indicate that young drivers clearly perceived themselves as being safer drivers than they are, according to IVDR findings. In addition variables available only in the SR e.g., the presence of passenger in the car were found to affect the trip risk level. The analysis obtained should be considered as exemplifying the potential of what may be accomplished and understood using these evaluation approaches.

Highlights

More than 37,000 trips were monitored by the In Vehicle Data Recorders (IVDR)
We found in the analysis that similar share of the trips at each safety level are recreational in nature
We found in the analysis that there is a significant higher share of trips with “green” safety level when passengers are presented in the vehicle compare to trips with“green” safety level without passengers

Summary

Introduction

Young drivers up to the age of 19 are more affected by risk factors, such as nighttime and weekend driving, the presence of other passengers - especially teens in the car, and by negative interaction of these attributes. The impact of the presence of passengers in the car on the 19–24 year-olds, for example, can be considered ambiguous and depends on socio-economic characteristics and social interactions between the driver and the passengers [10, 11] Despite their over-representation in crashes, young drivers are often confident in their driving abilities, tend to overestimate their own driving skills, and perceive their own chances of involvement in a crash to be significantly lower than that of their peers [20, 9, 8, 25]

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