Citation

Rolison JJ, Moutari S. J. Saf. Res. 2020; 73: 171-177.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2020.02.017

PMID

32563390

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Motor-vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in adolescence and young adults. A multitude of factors, including skill level, inexperience, and risk taking behaviors are associated with young drivers' crashes. This research investigated whether combinations of factors underlie crashes involving young drivers.

METHOD: A retrospective longitudinal study was conducted on population-wide one- and two-car crashes in Great Britain during years 2005-2012 per driver age (17-20, 21-29, 30-39, 40-49) and sex. Reporting officers provided their assessment of the factors contributing to crashes. Principal components analysis was conducted to identify combinations of factors underlying young drivers' crashes. Factor combinations, including challenging driving conditions, risk taking behaviors, and inexperience were implicated in young drivers' crashes.

RESULTS: Combinations of factors reveal new insights into underlying causes of crashes involving young drivers. One combination revealed that slippery roads due to poor weather pose greater risk to young drivers who are inexperienced and likely to exceed the appropriate speed. The findings motivate new policy recommendations, such as educating young drivers about the importance of adjusting their speed to the road conditions.

Language: en

Keywords

Road safety; Contributing factors; Accident causation; Policymaking; Younger drivers