Michigan Driver Education Study

Teens are at high risk for traffic violations and motor vehicle crashes because of their young age, lack of driving experience, and exposure to high-risk driving conditions. Crash risk is greatest during the first two years of driving, and especially elevated during the first months of driving. Increasing parent involvement is becoming an important target of young driver education; however, little attention has been devoted to parental management of teen driving after teen licensure. Increased parental management of teen driving could reduce the risk of serious injury during the first months of driving and establish clear expectations for their teens' safe driving thereafter. In two randomized trials, the Checkpoints Program has been demonstrated to increase parental restrictions on teen driving through at least four months post-licensure. In this proposed research, we will evaluate the efficacy of the Checkpoints Program as applied to driver education. The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which exposure to the Checkpoints Program during driver education classes in Michigan results in increased restrictions on young drivers during the first year of provisional licensure. The design is a randomized trial in which 24-30 commercial driver education classes will be randomly assigned to be either standard driver education or driver education that integrates the Checkpoints Program, Approximately 400 teens enrolled in driver education and one of their parents will be recruited and will complete written surveys at baseline and telephone surveys one month after teens obtained provisional licenses. Teens will complete additional telephone surveys one, three, six, and 12 months after provisional licensure. Study outcomes include parent management practices of teen driving, teen driving experience including the amount and conditions of driving during the first 12 months of licensure, and teen risky driving behaviors.

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Teens between the ages of 15 years 0 months and 16 years 6 months enrolled in a licensed driver education course are eligible to participate.

Exclusion criteria

Adolescents over the age of 16 years 6 months or those whose parent or legal guardian does not attend the driver education course session to which they are specifically invited will be deemed ineligible for the study.