Characteristics of Students Who Could not Take and Schools Which Did not Offer Driver Training

Abstract

In this study essentially a random sample of 79S U. S. high school seniors’ data was selected from a data bank. Scores were available on seventy variables related to driving safety and a criterion variable, whether they had taken driver training or not taken it because it was not offered. Eighteen of these variables showed differences between the two groups. These variables cluster around academic knowledge, intelligence, and socioeconomic status. The 861 U, S. high schools’ data were also selected from a data bank. Scores were available on ninety-seven variables related to driving safety and a criterion variable, whether or not they offered a driver training course. Forty-eight of these variables showed differences between the two groups. These variables cluster around socioeconomic status. It is concluded that different kinds of students do and do not take driver training courses. Schools which do and do not offer driver training are also different on variables which also relate to frequency of automobile accidents. While this research does not test the hypothesis that driver training courses make no difference in number of automobile accidents, it does demonstrate further that variables other than taking or not taking and offering or not offering driver training differentiates between these groups.