Validation of simulated assessment of teen driver speed management on rural roads.

More US teens die from traffic crashes than from any other cause, with speed and rural roads major contributing factors. This study aimed to validate a high-fidelity simulator to explore these risks in an injury-free environment. Twenty-one newly-licensed 16-year-old males completed simulated and on-the-road drives of the same rural roads. Average free speeds on three road segments showed no systematic differences across segments. The majority of teens exhibited speeds in the simulator within 10% of those on-the-road. These findings validate the simulator for further research on teen driver free speeds on rural roads. Further analyses are needed to validate other performance measures.

Competent independent driving as an archetypal task of adolescence.

Supplement Editor, Dr Flaura K Winston, and Co-Editor, Dr Teresa Senserrick, introduce 10 papers covering the current science of safe driving among adolescents from the varied viewpoints of an international panel of experts. This Expert Panel, convened by the Center for Injury Research and Prevention (formerly TraumaLink) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Companies(R), working jointly on the Youthful Driver Research Initiative, represents a wide range of expertise, thereby providing a broad understanding of driving, adolescence, and adolescent driving.

Reducing young driver road trauma: guidance and optimism for the future.

This paper highlights lessons from each of the Expert Panel papers in the present supplement that provide guidance for future research and initiatives. Although some shortfalls still remain in our understanding, it is argued that much has been learned and we are ready for more translation, implementation, and evaluation of multilevel interventions to help reduce young driver road trauma. Non-use of restraints, speeding, driving at night and with passengers, and fatigue are highlighted as key risk factors to address. "Best practice" intervention is proposed as implementing and strengthening graduated driver licensing systems and complementary candidate programs and research, such as hazard perception training programs. A schematic cognitive-perceptual model to explain the crash sequence process is explored. There is optimism that meaningful impacts can be made, especially coupled with the advances in vehicle technologies, but caution is necessary in the absence of targeted "real world" evaluations and broader implementation and diffusion strategies.

Graduation from a zero to .05 BAC restriction in an Australian graduated licensing system: a difficult transition for young drivers?

In Victoria, Australia, 21-26-year-old drivers are over-represented in alcohol-related fatal crashes. At this age drivers generally transfer from intermediate to full licensure, correspondingly experiencing an increase in legal BAC limit from zero to.05. This study used telephone surveys to compare drinking-driving profiles of 21-26-year-old fully-licensed, 18-20-year-old intermediate and 31-40-year-old experienced drivers ( N congruent with 700) to identify potential crash-risk factors. High driving and drinking exposure was a likely contributor to the over-involvement of male 21-26-year-olds, but not females. A tendency by 21-26-year-olds to rely on other drivers was both successful and unsuccessful in avoiding drink-driving. When driving themselves, there was a tendency to count or space drinks - less successful than abstaining from alcohol. The need to return home, convenience and lack of transport options were common reasons for drink-driving. Fear of crashes/injuries, licence loss and detection/arrest were common motivators to avoid drink-driving. Findings suggest the increase in BAC limit is a difficult transition for some drivers and may contribute to their crash involvement.