Reducing injuries among young drivers: what kind of measures are needed?

Abstract

Young drivers run a greater risk everywhere. Better understanding of the underlying processes to this problem are a useful tool in preventive endeavors. An understanding that a person’s life ambition and context of driving mostly influence young drivers in terms of traffic safety more than their ability of mastering different driving situations and their skill of vehicle maneuvering is important to understand young drivers overrisk. Research has indicated that a hierarchical approach to the task of driving can help to identify specifically which skills a driver needs to avoid crashes and injuries. Keskinen (1996) divided the task of driving into four separate levels (4. goals for life and skills for living, 3. goals and context of driving, 2. mastering traffic situations and 1. vehicle maneuvering) in which the higher levels are considered to always affect behavior on the lower levels.The idea behind a hierarchical approach is that success as well as failure on the higher levels will affect the demand on lower levels (Hatakka et al. 2002). Keskinen and others later developed a proficiency model comprising Goals for Driver Education (GDE) (Hatakka et al. 2002). The GDE matrix states specifically what driver training should focus on in order to produce the safest possible new drivers. Understanding the GDE matrix offers the possibility to use it to develop different countermeasures for young drivers. If this is adapted as closely as possible to this group and their driving situations, it should be possible to significantly enhance safety. Driver education or communication campaigns cannot be expected to radically change a young person’s life goals. Special courses for young drivers designed to make individuals conscious of their personal tendencies and the type of social context that affects their driving behaviour could be helpful, whether offered via the ordinary school system or at driving schools.To change a young driver’s goals behind driving and the context in which it is done, a variety of different methods of persuasion should be used. For example, communication campaigns and increased enforcement may be used simultaneously and in particular target young males. (Engström et al. 2003). Communication campaigns that employ persuasive, emotional messages are most effective where young drivers are concerned. Attitudes about safety are formed at an early age, long before legal driving, and therefore it would also be important also to target young adolescents. Laws need enforcement to be effective and should target areas of particular risk to young drivers