Effects of the California graduated driver licensing program

Thomas M Rice; Corinne Peek-Asa; Jess F Kraus

doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2004.04.004

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Effects of the California graduated driver licensing program

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Effects of the California graduated driver licensing program

Thomas M Rice, Corinne Peek-Asa and Jess F Kraus

Journal of safety research, Vol.35(4), pp.375-381

2004

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2004.04.004

PMID: 15474542

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Abstract

On July 1, 1998, in an effort to ameliorate the problem of high teenage driver crash rates, California implemented a graduated driver licensing system (GDLS). Data on injury crashes of 16- and 17-year-old drivers from a pre-GDLS year were compared with data from two post-GDLS years. Per-capita crash rate ratios were adjusted for changes in crash rates of 25- to 34-year-old drivers, who were unaffected by the GDLS. Prevented numbers and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Fatal or severe injury crash rates were significantly lower during each of the two post-GDLS years (adjusted rate ratios (RR)=0.72 and 0.83, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). Significant rate reductions were observed for all crash types, particularly for struck object (RR=0.71 and 0.80, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively) and non-collision (RR=0.63 and 0.72, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). Minor injury crash rates were also lower during post-GDLS years (RR=0.87 and 0.90, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). Percent reductions were notably larger during the hours of the late night driving restriction (midnight-5 a.m.) (RR=0.79 and 0.87, for 2000 vs. 1997 and 2001 vs. 1997, respectively). The implementation of the California GDLS was followed by large reductions in the rate of injury-producing motor-vehicle crashes. This evaluation supports previous evidence that GDLS is an effective countermeasure to adolescent motor-vehicle crashes and their associated injuries. States with a traditional licensing system may prevent adolescent driver crashes by adopting a GDLS. Future studies should examine factors that influence teenager compliance with GDLS provisions and identify approaches to improving compliance.

Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data

Adolescent

Adolescent Behavior

Age Distribution

Automobile Driving - standards

Automobile Driving - statistics & numerical data

California - epidemiology

Female

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Humans

Licensure - standards

Licensure - statistics & numerical data

Male

Population Surveillance

Prevalence

Sex Distribution

Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Effects of the California graduated driver licensing program
Creators: Thomas M Rice - Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Health, 10911 Weyburn Avenue, Suite 200, 90024, USA. tr@ucla.edu
Corinne Peek-Asa
Jess F Kraus
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of safety research, Vol.35(4), pp.375-381
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2004.04.004
PMID: 15474542
NLM abbreviation: J Safety Res
ISSN: 0022-4375
eISSN: 1879-1247
Grant note: R49/CCR903622 / ODCDC CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 2004
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Nursing; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984215041702771

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