Young drivers' attitudes toward accompanied driving: a new multidimensional measure

Introducing accompanied driving in Denmark. Safety-related differences between youth licensing with immediate or delayed access to solo driving

In Denmark, the legal license age was lowered from 18 to 17, to allow practice with an experienced driver before solo driving from age 18. The change gives the candidate driver a choice between: a) licensing at age 17 followed by a phase of accompanied driving until solo driving at age 18 (L17), and b) licensing at age 18 (or older) giving immediate access to solo driving (L18). The purpose of this study is: First, to explore safety-related differences between youth choosing the L17 or the L18 option, with a particular focus on safety attitude and self-assessed driving skills. Second, to map patterns in the use of accompanied driving and its predictors as well as the interaction between the L17 driver and the accompanying person (ACP). A sample of 632 drivers (53% male) between 17 and 19 years of age completed a survey. Among the participants 61% licensed through L17 and 39% through L18. Our results identify different risk profiles between L17 and L18. A higher score on perceptual-motor skills, lower score on safety skills and lower support to speed limits predicted L17. Female L17 were more safety-oriented compared to male L17. L17 who had experienced a supportive atmosphere and engagement in complex traffic situations during the drive were more likely to indicate that accompanied driving had improved their driving skills. However, results also indicate that the amount of experience obtained by L17 may be insufficient to obtain a safety benefit. Measures to address speeding and other risk-taking behaviours among male candidate drivers are needed to ensure a safety benefit of the Danish accompanied driving scheme. In addition, requirements may be needed to increase the amount of accompanied driving. Finally, parent guidelines could support the creation of a positive atmosphere during the drive.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Attitudes Toward Accompanied Driving Scale and its relationship with driving styles

The present study aimed to adapt the Attitudes Toward Accompanied Driving Scale (ATADS) to a Chinese drivers sample and to examine its reliability and validity. Five hundred and seventy-two drivers aged 18 to 25 years old were asked to complete the ATADS and a validated Chinese version of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory. The factorial structure of the ATADS was examined using exploratory factor analysis (N = 259) and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 313). The validity of the scale was evaluated by examining the associations between the ATADS factors, demographic variables and driving styles. The results showed that both the findings of the EFA and CFA showed a five-factor structure of the ATADS, including tension, relatedness, avoidance, disapproval and anxiety. Second, significant gender differences were found in tension, relatedness, avoidance and anxiety. Third, tension, avoidance, disapproval and anxiety were moderately or weakly correlated with risky, anxious, angry and careful driving styles. Moreover, the number of traffic accidents after the accompanying phase was positively correlated with disapproval and avoidance. The findings supported the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the ATADS and highlighted the adverse effects of young drivers’ negative attitudes toward accompanied driving on their driving styles.

Parents' perceptions of the family climate for road safety

The current study examined the applicability of the Family Climate for Road Safety Scale (FCRSS; Taubman-Ben-Ari and Katz-Ben-Ami, 2013) to the parents of young drivers. The sample consisted of 549 parents and 234 of their children, all of whom completed the FCRSS. In addition, the parents completed the multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI; Taubman-Ben-Ari et al., 2004) and provided background data (e.g., age, gender). Confirmatory factor analysis supported a slightly modified structure of the scale for parents. Examination of the correlations revealed significant weak to strong associations between parents' scores on the various FCRSS dimensions on the one hand, and their self-reported driving styles and offspring's perceptions of the family climate for safety on the other. The findings indicate that the FCRSS is suitable for use with the parents of young drivers, and that perceptions of the family climate are shared by the two generations. Furthermore, they show that family climate is related to parents' customary driving behavior, with the careful driving style positively related to the positive dimensions of the FCRSS. The discussion stresses the importance of the parents' influence on the manner in which their children drive, and the multifaceted nature of this influence. Moreover, it indicates the potential value of the FCRSS, both for research and for designing interventions and measuring their effectiveness.

Effects of familial climate on the adolescents' driving habits: a recent literature

Driving is a functional task that requires a complex interaction of visual perception, cognitive and motor skills. Next to circulatory diseases and cancer, road accidents remain the third epidemic cause of death internationally, with approximately half a million teen drivers killed annually. Driver behaviour has been cited as the pervasive marker of automotive crashes. A reliable and firm relationship between the positive parental model, message, and communication has been established. Specifically, the familial climate is proposed to be an important element of reinforcement, modelling, support and environmental determinant in interpreting personal perceptions, habits, values, and belief system. Confirming the assertion, this bibliographic review presents the most recent research findings on the contributions of families to the driving habits of teens. The emphasis is speculated on parental alcohol use, aggressiveness, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, relationship, and intergenerational transmission of driving styles. Besides, the effects of familial supervision, monitoring, education and awareness, and genders, partners, and demographic influence on the driving habits are discussed and outlined.

Family climate for road safety: a new concept and measure

This research adapted the workplace concept of safety climate to the domain of safe driving, defining a new construct of "family climate for road safety". Four studies were conducted in Israel with the aim of developing and validating a multidimensional instrument to assess this construct among young drivers. Study 1 (n=632) focused on developing the Family Climate for Road Safety Scale (FCRSS), a self-report scale assessing the family climate by means of seven aspects of the parent-child relationship: Modeling, Feedback, Communication, Monitoring, Noncommitment, Messages, and Limits. Significant differences were found between young men and women on all factors. In addition, significant associations were found between the FCRSS factors on the one hand, and the reported frequency of risky driving and personal commitment to safety on the other. Studies 2-4 confirmed the factorial structure of the FCRSS and the reliability of its factors, adding to its criterion and convergent validity. Study 2 (n=178) yielded significant associations between the scale and young drivers' perception of their parents as involved, encouraging autonomy, and providing warmth; Study 3 (n=117) revealed significant associations between the scale and youngsters' reported proneness to take risks while driving, as well as significant associations between the factors and various dimensions of family functioning; and Study 4 (n=156) found associations between the FCRSS factors and both driving styles (risky, angry, anxious, careful) and family cohesion and adaptability. The discussion deals with the validity and utility of the concept of family climate for road safety and its measurement, addressing the practical implications for road safety.

The contribution of family climate for road safety and social environment to the reported driving behavior of young drivers

Two studies examined the contribution of the new concept of "family climate for road safety" and several aspects of the social environment to the driving behavior of young drivers. Study 1 (n=120) investigated the effect of the seven dimensions of the family climate for road safety - Modeling, Feedback, Communication, Monitoring, Noncommitment, Messages, and Limits - as well as a general tendency to conform to authority, and peer pressure. Study 2 (n=154) examined the dimensions of family climate for road safety and perceived popularity of reckless driving among peers. The findings indicate associations both between the familial and the social aspects, and between these variables and driving styles, willingness to take risks while driving, reckless driving habits, and personal commitment to safe driving. Positive aspects of the parent-child relationship and high levels of conformity to authority were related to greater endorsement of the careful driving style, whereas family's noncommitment to safety, higher peer pressure, and lower conformity to authority were associated with greater endorsement of the reckless driving style. In addition, positive aspects of the family climate for road safety and lower perceived popularity of reckless driving among friends were associated with more personal commitment to safe driving and a lower tendency for risky driving. The discussion stresses the need to look at the complex set of antecedents of reckless driving among young drivers and addresses the practical implications of the findings for road safety.

The contribution of perceived parental and familial characteristics to attitudes toward accompanied driving among young drivers

One of the main requirements of the graduated driving licensing system in Israel is that new drivers be accompanied by an experienced driver (usually one of their parents) for the first three months after receipt of their license. The current series of studies examined the associations between young drivers' attitudes toward accompanied driving (ATAD) and their perception of their parents' driving styles and parenting modes, as well as dynamic of their family. Young drivers completed questionnaires assessing their ATAD, and either perceived parental driving style (Study 1, n=100), perceived parenting style (Study 2, n=120), or perceived family dynamic (Study 3, n=254). The results indicated significant associations between the young drivers' ATAD of tension, relatedness, avoidance, disapproval, and anxiety, and their own perceptions of the characteristic driving styles of their parents (risky, anxious, angry, and careful). They also indicated significant relationship between youngsters' ATAD and their perceptions of their parents' parenting modes (responsive, demanding, and autonomy-granting). Finally, the results indicated significant negative associations between ATAD of tension, avoidance, disapproval, and anxiety, and family cohesion and adaptability, and a positive association between these two and relatedness. The results are discussed in respect to the relationship between the parental model and the young drivers' ATAD in particular, and risk management in general, and practical implications of these results are offered.

From Passengers to Drivers

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for adolescents in most developed countries. In some countries including the United States, parents play a critical role in teaching adolescents to drive; however, little is known about what parents believe to be necessary in developing safe, skilled drivers, including the kind of instruction and experiences needed. The aim of this study was to address this gap in the research by describing what parents know and believe about the learning-to-drive process using semistructured interviews and surveys. U.S. parents were asked to identify and describe important skills and concepts, learning methodologies, common problems, and evaluation metrics for novice drivers. An emic account of the learning-to-drive period was generated to inform future interventions to support families and to generate hypotheses for future research.

The contribution of a novel intervention to enhance safe driving among young drivers in Israel

Young drivers in Israel, as in other parts of the world, are at an elevated risk of being involved in car crashes more than any other age group. A Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDL) has been introduced in Israel, requiring new drivers to be accompanied by an experienced driver during the first 3 months after obtaining a driving license. In an effort to ensure the effectiveness of the accompanied driving phase, a novel program which targets both young drivers and their parents, called green light for life (GLL), was initiated. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of GLL by comparing between young drivers who participated in the program and those who did not. Additionally, this study examined a structural equation model to predict young drivers' involvement in car crashes and additional risk measures. The study utilized quantitative measures through a questionnaire completed by 738 young drivers (437 men, 301 women; 362 of whom participated in the program, 376 who did not). The results obtained indicate that GLL participants showed more positive views regarding the accompanied driving phase and were less involved in car crashes. They draw a comprehensive model of associations between various aspects of accompanied driving and risky driving measures.