Parents’ Views of a Classroom and Closed-Road Post-License Driving Program for Teen Drivers, Guard Your Life

Abstract

In the US, teenage drivers have an increased risk of being involved in crashes. To address this, post-license advanced driving programs have emerged. This study gains parents’ perspectives while observing their teens’ involvement in a post-license driving program focused on a hands-on introduction to emergency braking, skid recovery and the dangers of distracted driving. Parents completed a survey after the program, and for comparison purposes, the teens also completed a survey at the end of the program. While the parents only observed the program, the results revealed that most learned useful information and would consider additional training for themselves. Almost all teens and parents reported anticipating changing their driving behaviors, specifically by reducing distractions, having a heightened awareness and changing their driving position. These results suggest that parents benefited from simply observing the class.

Teenage and Adult Drivers’ Views of a One-Day Car Control Class on a Closed-Road Course

“…According to the adults during the phone survey, ABS braking was the most frequently used skill learned during the class that was applied while driving, as well as the skill used to avoid potential crashes. Interestingly, the phone interview results from the previous study with teenagers in the Guard Your Life program suggested that ABS was the most used skill to avoid a crash [20]. Though adult drivers in the class experienced more exercises than the teenagers in the Guard Your Life program, both teenagers and adults found the ABS task to be applied the most after the course.…”

“…In a previous study, teenage drivers' views of a post-license half-day driving program, Guard Your Life Challenge program, were evaluated [20]. Guard Your Life takes place at the BMW Performance Center but focuses on three exercises, which include ABS braking, skid pad and a distraction task (not part of the CCC).…”

Instructor’s Rating of Driver’s Performance during an Anti-Lock Braking Exercise on a Closed-Road Course

“…Parents are required to stay for the classroom portion of the GYL program. As a result, a study was conducted with the parents to see if they benefitted from observing the program as well as their teens driving on the course [25]. A total of 134 parents completed the survey; the results showed that the majority of parents (85%) had previously experienced ABS, but only 16% of the parents described their participation in previous ABS training.…”

“…The GYL program utilizes a subset of the classroom information on ABS and ABS exercise as the car control classes in the current study. Though the survey studies [24,25] do not provide ABS performance information, these studies surveyed a population of teens and parents enrolled in a half day driving program with essentially double the group size. Not many of the parents surveyed from the GYL program had been trained to activate ABS, nor did many use hands-on techniques to teach their teen about ABS [25].…”

“…Though the survey studies [24,25] do not provide ABS performance information, these studies surveyed a population of teens and parents enrolled in a half day driving program with essentially double the group size. Not many of the parents surveyed from the GYL program had been trained to activate ABS, nor did many use hands-on techniques to teach their teen about ABS [25]. Knowledge and proper activation of ABS may not be known by typical teen and adult drivers.…”