Reducing Risky Driving Behavior: The Impact of an Adolescent Driver Intervention Program With and Without Mandatory Parental Attendance

Abstract

The United States is a vehicle-dependent society and allows adolescents to obtain driver’s licenses at age 16 or younger. This study examined the impacts of a driver intervention program on reducing risky driving behaviors among youths who had received their first traffic citation, as well as parental management of driving practices. Participants consisted of 243 youths ages 16 and 17 who were court-ordered to attend the Ohio 4-H CARTEENS (CAR = Caution and Responsibility and TEENS = Teens who volunteer as teachers) program with and without parents. Results indicated that risky driving behavior decreased significantly for both groups after the intervention program. Parental management practices, however, increased only for youths attending without parents. Regression analysis indicated that risky driving behavior at Time 1 and levels of parental management (parental control) at Time 2 predicted risky driving behavior after completion of the program. Implications of this study include the importance of adolescent driver intervention and prevention programs to teach youths about unsafe driving practices before licensure.