The University of Adelaide CENTRE FOR AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY RESEARCH

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TitleStudies on South Australia’s Driver Intervention Program, and related research
AuthorsHutchinson TP, Kloeden CN, Wundersitz LN
Year2011
TypeConference Paper
AbstractThe Driver Intervention Program (DIP) is a 90-minute interactive small-group workshop for disqualified young novice drivers in South Australia. Other literature suggests only very low effectiveness can be expected from such programs, but they are very cheap, and could possibly still be good value for money. The attitudes and personality characteristics of DIP participants are similar to those of young people not disqualified from driving. Those who participated in DIP, when compared with those who should have participated but did not (paying an expiation fee instead), were found not to differ in respect of crashes, but had fewer subsequent offences. In addition, the present paper examines the possible contribution improved research methodology might make to determining what works and how well, summarises a study of offences and crashes in a group of young drivers, and discusses intuitive risk avoidance as a desirable mode of decision making. Our view is that success and failure of attempts to improve driver behaviour and safety via education and training are poorly understood. We suggest the best hope for advance is likely to lie in integrated study of on-road behaviour (e.g., speed), driving offences, crashes, and theories that link these.
Conference NameUnder The Radar Conference on Traffic Offender Programs
Conference LocationSydney
Conference Date7 December 2011
Page Count10

Reference
Hutchinson TP, Kloeden CN, Wundersitz LN (2011). Studies on South Australia’s Driver Intervention Program, and related research. Under The Radar Conference on Traffic Offender Programs, Sydney, 7 December 2011.