Title: Graduated driver licensing: searching for the best composition of components

Authors: Truls Vaa; Alena Høye; Raquel Almqvist

Addresses: Institute of Transport Economics, Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway ' Institute of Transport Economics, Gaustadalléen 21, NO-0349 Oslo, Norway ' UNIFRAN, Av. Dr. Armando de Salles Oliveira 201, 14404-600, Franca, Brasil

Abstract: Young drivers 16-19 years have a relative accident risk of 9-10 compared to drivers aged 55-64 years. Education and training of young drivers, which could reduce the death toll, have been an issue for many decades, but without much success regarding the effects on accidents. A more promising trend, which started in the mid-1980s, is generally known as graduated driver licensing (GDL). Many different layouts are put into practice in several countries and more than 20 different components have been developed. Jurisdictions need advice from research to elaborate and propose the best composition of GDL-components. The paper gives an overview of GDL-components. Summary effects for some of the most important components are calculated by means of meta-analysis, based on empirical accident studies. Finally, the paper discusses potentials of improvement of current Brazilian driver training practices and provides recommendations about combinations of components that contribute most to the effectiveness of GDL-programs.

Keywords: traffic safety; young drivers; driver education; graduated driver licensing; best composition; GDL components; meta-analysis; traffic accidents; effects; Brazil; driver training; road safety; accident risks.

DOI: 10.1504/LAJMSD.2015.071988

Latin American Journal of Management for Sustainable Development, 2015 Vol.2 No.2, pp.160 - 176

Received: 19 Dec 2014
Accepted: 09 Apr 2015
Published online: 26 Sep 2015 *

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