Driving Skills at Licensure Can Predict Crashes Early in Licensure

MONDAY, Oct. 16, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Driving skills measured at the time of licensure can predict crashes early in licensure, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in Pediatrics.

Elizabeth A. Walshe, Ph.D., from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues examined 16,914 young drivers (younger than 25 years) in Ohio who completed a virtual driving assessment and their subsequent police-reported crash records to examine how driving skills at licensure contribute to crash risk after licensure.

The researchers found that the crash risk was 10 percent lower than average for the best performing "No Issues" driving class, while the crash risk was 11 percent higher than average for the "Major Issues with Dangerous Behavior" class. After adjustment for covariates, including age, sex, and tract-level socioeconomic indicators, the results persisted. The crash risk was 16 percent higher than average for drivers licensed at age 18 years.

"These findings take us a step closer to identifying the drivers at risk of crashing early in licensure and some of the skills that are protective of future crashes," the authors write. "These results can inform targeted interventions that could be delivered at the time of licensure, providing actionable feedback or training to newly licensed drivers on areas needing continued improvement postlicensure."

Several authors disclosed ties to Diagnostic Driving Inc.

Abstract/Full Text