@article{ref1,
title="Crash and traffic violation rates before and after licensure for novice California drivers subject to different driver licensing requirements",
journal="Journal of safety research",
year="2014",
author="Chapman, Eric A. and Masten, Scott V. and Browning, Kelly K.",
volume="50",
number="",
pages="125-138",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: How do crash and traffic violation rates for novice 16-17-year-old drivers change over the months before and after licensure under a graduated driver licensing (GDL) program relative to those for older novices who are not subject to GDL? METHOD: Plots and Poisson regression comparing overall rates and subtypes of crashes and traffic violations among California novice drivers ages 16 to 35 years over time before and after unsupervised licensure. <br><br>RESULTS: Majorities of 16-year-olds (57%) and 17-year-olds (73%) actually hold their learner permits longer than the required 6 months; majorities (67%-81%) of age 18 or older novices hold their learner permits less than 6 months. Crash rates of novice 16- and 17-year-olds-as well as most other age groups-are highest almost immediately after they are licensed to drive unsupervised, after which their rates decline quickly during their first year of licensure and at a slower rate for the second and third years. Novice 16- and 17-year-olds' traffic violation rates reach their zenith long after their total crash rates peak and decline, whereas violation rates for older novices peak during their first year of licensure. Over 70% of 16- and 17-year-old novices are crash-free for the first 3 years of licensure. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: While novice 16- and 17-year-olds' highest crash rates occur almost immediately after they are licensed, their peak traffic violation rates are delayed until around the time they turn age 18. Both pre-licensure crash rates and post-licensure crash peaks were more pronounced for some older age groups of novices than was the case for 16-17-year-olds. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Extending learner permit holding periods for 16-17-year-old novices appears consistent with their actual behavior; requiring older novices-particularly those ages 18 to 20-to hold permits for minimum periods may reduce their initial crash rates.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-4375",
doi="10.1016/j.jsr.2014.05.005",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2014.05.005"
}