Young, inexperienced and on the road – do novice drivers comply with road rules?

摘要

The graduated driver licensing (GDL) program in Queensland, Australia, was considerablyenhanced in July 2007. This paper explores the compliance of young Learner and Provisional(intermediate) drivers with current GDL requirements and general road rules. Unsuperviseddriving, Learner logbook accuracy, and experiences of punishment avoidance were explored,along with speeding as a Provisional driver. Participants (609 females; M = 17.43 years) self-reported sociodemographic characteristics, driving behaviours and licensing experiences asLearners. A subset of participants (238 females, 105 males) completed another survey sixmonths later exploring their Provisional behaviours and experiences. While the majority ofthe participants reported compliance with both the GDL requirements and general road rulessuch as stopping at red lights on their Learner licence; a considerable proportion reportedspeeding. Furthermore, they reported becoming less compliant during the Provisional phase,particularly with speed limits. Self-reported speeding was predicted by younger age atlicensure, being in a relationship, driving unsupervised, submitting inaccurate Learnerlogbooks, and speeding as a Learner. Enforcement and education countermeasures shouldfocus upon curtailing noncompliance, targeting speeding in particular. Novice drivers shouldbe encouraged to comply with all road rules, including speed limits, and safe drivingbehaviours should be developed and reinforced during the Learner and early Provisionalperiods. Novice drivers have been found to model their parents‟ driving, and parents arepivotal in regulating novice driving. It is vital young novice drivers and parents alike areencouraged to comply with all road rules, including GDL requirements.