DRIVER TRAINING AND LICENSING THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE

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DRIVER TRAINING AND LICENSING THE EUROPEAN
PERSPECTIVE

• Stefan Siegrist, Ph. D.
• Head of Research Department
• Swiss Council for Injury Prevention bfu

Forum on Driver Education and Training, NTSB,
Washington, 28/29 October 2003
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This presentation is mainly based on deliverables
of three EU-research projects

• GADGET (1) (Workpackage 3)
• BASIC (2)
• TRAINER (3) (Deliverable No. 1.2)
• Thanks to main authors, especially to
• Prof. Esko Keskinen, University of Turku, Finland
• Dr. Nils Petter Gregersen, VTI, Sweden
• Dr. Mika Hatakka, University of Turku, Finland
• Heleen Groot, M.A., CIECA, Belgium

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Contents

• Driver training and licensing in Europe
• - Typology of European models
• - Further characteristics
• - Contents of driver training
• Characteristics and reference models of the
  European perspective
• - Supervised training, few restrictions
• - Trend shift of focus to risk perception,
  self-assessment
• - Model Keskinens structure of goals in
  driver training

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• Quality and effectiveness of European models-
  choosing the outcome measure- results from S,
  N,F,D,G,L- appraisal of European evidence
• Steps for improvement
• - What should be done?
• - What is planned on a European level?

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Driver training and licensing in Europe

• Typology of overall systems

Single Phase System (about 10 European countries,
e.g. the Netherlands)
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Driver training and licensing in Europe
Typology of overall systems
Single Phase System (about 10 European countries,
e.g. the Netherlands) In this model, a student
takes his or her training at a driving school, in
private or by combining the two. After having
completed the training, the theory and the
practical test is passed. This results in the
acquisition of a driving licence. After the
acquisition of the driving licence there are no
further restrictions or other measures for the
novice driver. The driving licence is immediately
a "full", "permanent" driving licence.
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• System with probationary licence
• (about 13 European countries)
• without restrictions (e.g. Germany)
• with restrictions (e.g. France)

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• System with probationary licence
• (about 13 European countries)
• without restrictions (e.g. Germany)
• with restrictions (e.g. France)
• In this model, a student takes his or her
  training at a driving school, with a
  non-professional supervisor or by combining the
  two. After having completed the training, the
  student has to pass a theory and a practical
  driving test, which leads to the acquisition of a
  driving licence.
• For a certain period of time immediately
  following obtaining the driving licence (in most
  cases two years), the driving licence is a
  probationary licence without restrictions. This
  means that during the probationary period the
  student is subject to a number of special,
  generally stricter measures in case of violation
  of the traffic regulations. In some countries
  this is done in the form of penalty point
  systems, giving points to or taking them away
  from the driver when he or she commits a traffic
  offence. If too many traffic offences are
  committed within certain periods of time, the
  driver may be forced to follow extra training.
• In some systems the driver is subject to
  restrictions during probationary period, e.g.
  speed limitations or lower maximum BAC (0 or 0.2
  ).

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Two-phase-system with a provisional
licence (about 6 European countries, e.g. Finland)
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Two-phase-system with a provisional
licence (about 6 European countries, e.g.
Finland) In this model, a student takes his or
her training at a driving school, with a
non-professional supervisor or by combining the
two. After having completed the training, the
theory and the practical driving test is passed.
This leads to the acquisition of a provisional
driving licence. Within a certain period after
having obtained the driving licence, the student
has to follow a second phase of theory and/or
training. This training can consist of various
elements skid training, night-time driving,
hazard-perception, self-assessment etc. The
following of the training is the precondition for
obtaining a "full" licence after a certain period
of time (usually two years).
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Graduated licensing systems (GLS) (not used in
Europe)
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Graduated licensing systems (GLS) (not used in
Europe) GLS is normally divided into three
stages, one learner stage, one provisional
licence stage and one full licence stage. An
important principle in GLS is that experience
should be gained in stages of progressively
increased difficulty. Each stage specifies
certain restrictions that are gradually
released, and are removed entirely in the full
licence stage. Graduated licensing systems are
not yet used in Europe. They are, however, common
in Canadian states, several states in USA,
Australia and New Zealand.
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Driver training and licensing in Europe

• Further characteristics

• Short education of professional teachers
  (educationgt1 year is exceptional, e.g. Sweden and
  Finland)
• Combination of layman and professional
  instruction is very common
• Few restrictions like night-time curfew, speed
  limits
• Minimal age for practising mostly 18 (Sweden,
  Norway, France, Austria 16 UK 17)
• Minimal licensing age nearly exclusively 18

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Driver training and licensing in Europe

• Contents of driver training

• Items covered in theory training according to
• priority (European average)
• 1. Traffic regulation
• 2. Behaviour towards others
• 3. Vehicle technique
• 4. The road (hazard perception)
• 5. The driver (hazard perception)
• 6. Weather conditions (hazard perception)
• 7. Environmental friendly driving
• 8. Others (e.g. first aid)

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Driver training and licensing in Europe

• Contents of driver training

• Main items treated in practical
  (pre-test)training
• (European average)
• Safety car checks
• Driving away
• Changing directions
• Mastery of traffic situations
• Others (e.g. reversing)

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Driver training and licensing in Europe

• New contents of driver training
• (in some countries)

• Extended training period under protected
  conditions
• Second phase training- analysis of experienced
  dangerous situations- self-assessment-
  improving hazard perception- awareness of
  motivational aspects of dangerous driving-
  (improving driving techniques)

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Trend in driver training contents
(Model by Keskinen and Hatakka, 1997)
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Trends in European driver training

• Extending the accompanied pre-test driving period
• more layman instruction
• lower minimal practising age
• Multiphase systems are becoming more popular
  (introduced or planned in about 8 countries)
• Compact professional training to prepare
  candidates to accompanied training
• Integration of demerit point systems and driver
  improvement programs into driver licensing
  systems
• Awareness of lack in development of driving test
  according to new contents in training

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Quality and effectiveness of European models
quantity and quality of evidence

• Growing number of before-after studies referring
  to traffic safety outcome available
• Several studies did not sufficiently control for
  self selection bias and/or (increase) in exposure
• Some studies lack a missing or insufficient
  control of further confounding factors
• Description of evidence-based design of best
  practice model not possible by now, but
• Research-based recommendation can be given

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Choosing the outcome measure

• From a public health point of view the relevant
  outcome measure is
• injured and killed per population and year
• With this respect changes in exposure are not
  relevant except if lifetime exposure (years
  driven, i.e. years at risk) is concerned

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Choosing the outcome measure

• In order to
• analyze a systems potential to produce
  safedriving
• control for negative side effects (social
  inequalities)
• an additional outcome measure is needed
• injured and killed per licence holder and year
  (mileage group and year)

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Results
Evaluated Model
Study
Process problems in coordinating theoretical and
practical parts Outcome decrease in injury
accident involvement of 18-19 year olds
(-7) analyzed confounding factors general
accident trend, population size, number of
licence holders, annual mileage, weather
conditions, drink driving habits
1986 new form new contents defensive driving,
hazard perception
Carstensen 2002, (4) Denmark
Outcome malesincrease in accidents due to
slippery surface course decrease in accidents
due to dark driving course females no effects

• 1979
• second (post-test)phase, containing
• - defensive driving (classroom course)
• - slippery surface driving course
• - dark driving course
• (no final test)

Glad 1988, (5) Norway
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(preliminary) Appraisal of European evidence on
driver training
There is some evidence that the following
elements entail safety benefits

• Introduction of a second phase including training
  and minimal restrictions
• Increased training under protected
  conditionsBut only giving the possibility to
  have longer training by lowering the age limit is
  not enough

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(preliminary) Appraisal of European evidence on
driver training
There is some evidence that the following
elements entail safety benefits

• Shift of contents in second phase training from
  mastery of vehicle and traffic situations towards
  driving motives, risky behaviour and
  self-perception
• Layman-accompanied driving, if it is integrated
  in a training system (Swedish results probably
  not transferable to other countries)
• Integration of (improved) measures (professional
  training, accompanied driving, phasing the
  training, development of examination etc.)

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Requirements of an ideal educational
system(BASIC-project recommendations)

• Clear goals and contents for training
• Enough feedback to improve behaviour and to learn
• Theoretical and practical training supporting
  each other
• Possibility to get enough experience
• Valid environment to practise necessary skills
• Long enough learning period that makes
  consolidation of skills and knowledge to the
  memory possible
• Learning climate favourable for safety

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Open question

• Extending the training contents (e.g. driving
  motives) and methods (self-evaluation) increases
  the demands on instructors
• Do we need specialists who understand young
  adults risk taking from a professional point of
  view?
• Which is the minimal amount of accompanied
  driving ? (there seems to be a threshold)
• Which is the effect of different second phase
  training contents and methods? (only some
  knowledge available)

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Requirements to an effective 2-phase-model

• First phase
• structured learning of basic requirements for
  driving
• accompanied driving
• extended training period under protected
  conditions
• Test extending subjects (e.g. hazard perception)
• Second phase
• combining education and enforcement
• referring to post-test experiences
• methodology attitude changes through
  self-evaluative and meta-cognitive skills
  (meetings, group discussion)
• Follow-up period with low thresholds
  interventions
• Logical construction and textual coherence of the
  single elements

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Steps for improvement what is planned on an
European level?

• EU-activities
• Improvement of driver licensing system is one of
  the priorities of the EU-commissions road safety
  action plan
• New driver licensing directive, aiming at
• standardized, increased requirements on driving
  tests (in order to influence contents and quality
  of driver training)
• standardized, minimal requirements for driving
  instructors
• Projects
• Evaluation of novice driver training schemes
  (mainly second phase) in 6 EU member states. Main
  point Evaluation of a 2nd phase of driver
  training
• Development of European standards for testing

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References

• Siegrist, S. (ed.) (1999), Driver training,
  testing and licensing towards theory based
  management of young drivers injury risk in road
  traffic. Results of EU-project GADGET, Work
  Package 3. bfu-Report 40. Swiss Council for
  Accident Prevention bfu, Berne,
  SwitzerlandGADGET (1999), Cf. Siegrist, S.
  (ed.) (1999)
• Hatakka, M., Keskinen, E., Baughan, Ch.,
  Goldenbelt, Ch., Gregersen, N.P., Groot, H.,
  Siegrist, S., Willems-Lenz, G. Winkelbauer, M.
  (2003), Basic driver training New models, Final
  report Draft 30th June 2003, University of Turku,
  Finlandbasic (in Press), Cf. Hatakka, M. (ed.)
  (in Press)
• Groot, H., Vandenberghe, D., Van Aerschot, G.
  Bekiaris, E. (2001), TRAINER, Deliverable N. 1.2,
  Commission of the European Communities, Brussel,
  BelgiumDAN (2000), Cf. Bartl, G. (ed.) (2000)
  Bartl, G.(2000), DAN-Report. Results of
  EU-Project Description and Analysis of Post
  Licensing Measures for Novice Drivers. Kuratorium
  für Verkehrssicherheit KfV, Vienna
• Carstensen, G. (2002), The effect on accident
  risk of a change in driver education in Denmark.
  Accident Analysis and Prevention. 34, 111-121
• Glad, A. (1988), Fase 2 føreropp laeringen.
  Effekt på nlykkesrisikoen. TØI repport 0015/1988.
  Transportøkonomisk institut, Oslo, Norway

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References

• 6) Sagberg, F. (2002), Driver education from the
  age of 16 potential of an extended learning
  period and increased driving experience to reduce
  the crash risk of novice drivers. Experiences in
  Norway. Bundesanstalt für Strassenwesen (Hrsg.)
  (2002). Referate der 2. Int. Konferenz "Junge
  Fahrer und Fahrerinnen", 29./30.10.01, Wolfsburg.
  Berichte der Bundesanstalt für Strassenwesen,
  Mensch u. Sicherheit, Heft M 143
• Meewes, V. Weissbrodt, G. (1992), Führerschein
  auf Probe. Auswirkungen auf die
  Verkehrssicherheit Bundesanstalt für
  Strassenwesen. Bast-report no 87
• 8) Gregersen, N.P. (2000), Sixteen Years Age
  limit for Learner Drivers in Sweden an
  evaluation of safety effects. In Accident
  Analysis and Prevention, 26(3), 297-303
• 9) Katila, A., Peräaho, M., Keskinen, E.,
  Hatakka, M. Laapotti, S. (2000), Longterm
  effects of the Finnish driver training renewal of
  1990. In Bartl, G. (ed.) (2000). DAN-report.
  Results of EU-project description and analysis
  of post licensing measures for novice drivers.
  Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit, Vienna,
  Austria
• 10) Peräaho, M., Hatakka, M., Keskinen, E.
  Katila, A. (2000), Second phase of driver
  training in Colmar-berg, Luxembourg connection
  to accidents. In DAN (2000) Cf. Bartl, G.(ed.)
  (2000)

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Thank you for your attention

• Stefan Siegrist, Ph. D.
• Head of Research Department
• Swiss Council for Injury Prevention bfu

Contact bfu, Laupenstrasse 11, CH-3008 Berne
(Switzerland) phone [phone] ? fax
41 (31) 390 22 30 ? email s.siegrist_at_bfu.ch