%0 Journal Article
%T Participation in driver education/training courses during graduated driver licensing, and the effect of a time-discount on subsequent traffic offenses: findings from the New Zealand Drivers Study
%J Journal of safety research
%D 2015
%A Begg, Dorothy
%A Brookland, Rebecca
%V 55
%N 
%P 13-20
%X INTRODUCTION: The New Zealand GDL includes a time-discount at the restricted license stage, for attendance at an approved driver education course. This is despite international evidence showing that earlier licensure associated with a time-discount can increase risk for newly licensed drivers. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To examine participation in driver education courses and especially those that qualify for a time-discount; compare the profiles of course participants with non-participants; examine reasons for participation; and examine the association between a time-discount and traffic offenses once fully licensed. <br><br>METHOD: This study was based on the New Zealand Drivers Study (NZDS), a prospective cohort study of newly licensed drivers. Data on driver education courses were obtained at the full license interview (n=1763), driver license and traffic offense data from the NZ Driver Licence Registry, and other data at the NZDS interviews. <br><br>RESULTS: 94% had heard of and 49% (n=868) participated in a defensive driving course (DDC). No other course had more than 1% participation. Compared with the others, the DDC group were young, non-Māori, and from an area of relatively low deprivation. Through GDL, the DDC group were relatively more compliant with the conditions, and less likely to crash or receive a traffic offense notice. The groups did not differ on personality, alcohol and drug use. The reason most (85%) attended a DDC was to get their full license sooner; 86% (n=748) received a time-discount. The time-discount group were 40% more likely to receive a traffic offense notice on their full license; this reduced to 10% after controlling for other factors. <br><br>CONCLUSION AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study, when viewed in conjunction with other NZ crash evidence, indicate that a time-discount should not be given for completing a DDC or Street Talk course.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Elsevier Publishing
%@ 0022-4375
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2015.07.003