Young and Unlicensed: Risky Driving Before Entering the Licensing System

Abstract

Objective: On-road driving before gaining a valid license (prelicense driving) represents a risk for all road users. Prelicense driving among young people who obtained a provisional license within an enhanced graduated driver licensing program in Queensland, Australia, was investigated.

Methods: Recently licensed drivers (n = 1032) aged 17 to 19 years (M = 17.54) completed a survey exploring their driving experiences while on their learner's license. Six months later, 355 of these drivers completed the same survey exploring their experiences on their provisional (intermediate) license.

Results: Twelve percent of participants reported prelicense driving. Prelicense drivers reported significantly more risky driving as learners and provisional drivers.

Conclusions: Prelicense drivers not only place themselves and other road users at risk at the time but also continue to do so through their subsequent risky driving. Prelicense driving should be discouraged, and parents should be encouraged to monitor car use and the driving behavior of their children.

Keywords:

• Young drivers
• Novice driver
• Learner license
• Provisional license
• Prelicense driving

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (formerly Queensland Transport) for their assistance in the recruitment of novice drivers for the research project. The first author is the recipient of a National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Research Scholarship. The research findings regarding the incidence of prelicense driving and subsequent risky driving behavior and attitudes were presented at the Australian Injury Prevention Network 10th National Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, Brisbane, Australia, on November 3, 2011.