Hazard anticipation of young novice drivers - SWOV
Hazard anticipation of young novice drivers - SWOV
Hazard anticipation of young novice drivers - SWOV
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transport. It can also be status, a means to impress friends, a means to test the<br />
limits <strong>of</strong> one's skills and a symbol <strong>of</strong> freedom. Crash rates <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>drivers</strong><br />
are higher than average in groups that prefer a lifestyle in which driving and<br />
cars are important and/or there is a preference for leisure time activities with<br />
low structure and high impulsivity such as partying.<br />
Driving with passengers can have a negative and a positive effect on<br />
the crash rate <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong>. Especially for very <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong><br />
<strong>drivers</strong> (both male and female), driving with a male passenger <strong>of</strong> about the<br />
same age increases the crash rate. However, driving with a middle-aged<br />
passenger (e.g. a parent) decreases the crash rate <strong>of</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong><br />
considerably.<br />
There are indications that the socioeconomic status <strong>of</strong> the family <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> may have some effect on the crash rate as well. Most<br />
studies show that <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> <strong>of</strong> families with a low socioeconomic<br />
status have a higher crash rate than <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> <strong>of</strong> parents with a<br />
high socioeconomic status. The results may however be confounded by the<br />
fact that <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> <strong>of</strong> a low socioeconomic status will normally<br />
drive in older cars that <strong>of</strong>fer less protection.<br />
7.2.3. Acute impairments<br />
As any driver, a <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> driver may temporarily be less capable to<br />
anticipate hazards in traffic when she or he is under the influence <strong>of</strong><br />
psychoactive substances (e.g. alcohol and/or illicit drugs). Other transient<br />
factors that hamper hazard <strong>anticipation</strong> are tiredness or drowsiness,<br />
distraction or inattention and emotions. There are indications that alcohol<br />
and fatigue affect <strong>young</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> more than older, more experienced<br />
<strong>drivers</strong>. The temptation to use particular types <strong>of</strong> electronic equipment while<br />
driving (MP3 players, CD-players, smart phones) is stronger for <strong>young</strong><br />
<strong>drivers</strong> than for middle-aged <strong>drivers</strong>. Young <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> also more <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
drive with passengers that might distract them. Passengers <strong>of</strong> the same age<br />
implicitly or explicitly may also encourage <strong>young</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> to take risks.<br />
Emotions may have a more pronounced effect on <strong>young</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> than on<br />
middle-aged <strong>drivers</strong>, but so far, there is no clear evidence for this.<br />
7.2.4. Exposure<br />
Young <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> more <strong>of</strong>ten drive in circumstances that are more<br />
demanding and hazardous for all <strong>drivers</strong>. Except for the <strong>young</strong>est group <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> (18 and 19 years <strong>of</strong> age in the Netherlands), they have a<br />
tendency to drive too fast. Although the <strong>young</strong>est group <strong>of</strong> <strong>novice</strong> <strong>drivers</strong> do<br />
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