Teenage Drivers’ Views of a Classroom and Closed-Road Post-License Advanced Driving Program, Guard Your Life

Abstract

In the US, teenage drivers have an increased risk of being involved in crashes. To address this, post-license advanced driving programs have emerged. This study gains teenagers’ perspective of a post-license defensive driving program focused on a hands-on introduction to emergency braking, skid recovery and the dangers of distracted driving. The teenagers completed a survey immediately following the program and a phone interview three months later. The open-ended survey and phone interview items reflect the program’s key concepts. During the follow-up phone interview, the majority of teenagers reported using the skills experienced and half of the participants who participated in the phone interview reported using skills that they learned to avoid a crash. Almost all teenagers reported anticipating or changing their driving behaviors, specifically by reducing distractions, having a heightened awareness and changing their driving position. The survey and follow-up phone interview results suggest that the teenagers benefited from the skills introduced and, from the teenagers’ perspective, has helped them avoid crashes.

Keywords

• teenage drivers
• defensive driving
• emergency braking
• skid recovery
• distractions