Purpose Teenage risky driving may be due to teenagers not knowing what is risky, preferring risk, or the lack of consequences. Elevated gravitational-force (g-force) events, caused mainly by hard braking and sharp turns, provide a valid measure of risky driving and are the target of interventions using in-vehicle data recording and feedback devices. The effect of two forms of feedback about risky driving events to teenagers only or to teenagers and their parents was tested in a randomized controlled trial. Methods Ninety parent-teen dyads were randomized to one of two groups: (1) immediate feedback to teens (Lights Only); or (2) immediate feedback to teens plus family access to event videos and ranking of the teen relative to other teenage drivers (Lights Plus). Participants’ vehicles were instrumented with data recording devices and events exceeding 0.5 g were assessed for two weeks of baseline and 13 weeks of feedback. Results Growth analysis with random slopes yielded a significant decrease in event rates for the Lights Plus group (slope = −.11, p < 0.01), but no change for the Lights Only group (slope = 0.05, p = 0.67) across the 15 weeks. A large effect size of 1.67 favored the Lights Plus group. Conclusions Provision of feedback with possible consequences associated with parents being informed reduced risky driving, while immediate feedback only to teenagers did not. Implications and Contribution Reducing elevated g-force events due to hard stops and sharp turns could reduce crash rates among novice teenage drivers. Using materials from the DriveCam For Families Program we found that feedback to both teens and parents significantly reduced rates, while feedback only to teens did not.

Web-based programs may be useful in reducing alcohol-related risk among college students. Further evaluation is needed.

This study presents the results of an efficacy evaluation of a Web-based brief motivational alcohol prevention/intervention program called Michigan Prevention and Alcohol Safety for Students (M-PASS). Four on-line sessions providing individually-tailored feedback were delivered to first-year college students over nine weeks. Non- and low-risk drinking participants received risk prevention, while high-risk drinking participants received a risk-reduction intervention. Both intervention and control groups were surveyed at baseline and at a three-month follow-up. Analysis showed positive effects for both men and women on stage of change, drinking behavior, drinking motivation and attitudes, and use of risk-reduction strategies. These results provided evidence of efficacy, and found that M-PASS had both intervention and prevention effects, making it unique among currently developed brief alcohol interventions for college students.