Recommendations to improve young and novice driver safety in the State of Qatar

Abstract

Introduction: Young driver behavior and safety are key concerns in Qatar, where they are disproportionately represented amongst road victims and fatalities. This paper summarizes the proceedings of a workshop, entitled “Enhancing the Safety of Young and Novice Drivers in Qatar”, held as a pre-conference workshop of the 24th World Congress of the International Traffic Medicine Association (ITMA) in Doha, Qatar. Methods: A guided discussion was conducted amongst a selected multi-sectoral group of 50 stakeholders, representing Law Enforcement, Health, Society and Education, Transport, and Road Safety. Each group discussed the best evidence and local realities of young driver safety in the State of Qatar. Using a modified Delphi approach, key areas were identified and prioritized; consensus recommendations were obtained and summarized. Results: Based on the stakeholders’ discussions a list of twelve key recommendations has been developed and its elements have been classified in order of priority. These recommendations are supported by relevant published evidence as well as expert opinion and have been shared with the relevant authorities to inform future policies. Conclusions: This article summarizes the workshop presentations and the twelve key recommendations that arose from the discussions and put them forward to the concerned authorities. It should be emphasized that the concerned authorities concerned need to take action on at least the top three recommendations (GDL, improved police enforcement, and improved licensing and training), but also to prioritize all other recommendations that can be easily addressed such as improved roads and auditing and risk-based insurance.