OBJECTIVES: We compared rates of risky driving among novice adolescent and adult drivers over the first 18 months of adolescents' licensure. METHODS: Data-recording systems installed in participants' vehicles provided information on driving performance of 42 newly licensed adolescent drivers and their parents. We analyzed crashes and near crashes and elevated g-force event rates by Poisson regression with random effects. RESULTS: During the study period, adolescents were involved in 279 crashes or near crashes (1 involving injury); parents had 34 such accidents. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) comparing adolescent and parent crash and near-crash rates was 3.91. Among adolescent drivers, elevated rates of g-force events correlated with crashes and near crashes (r = 0.60; P < .001). The IRR comparing incident rates of risky driving among adolescents and parents was 5.08. Adolescents' rates of crashes and near crashes declined with time (with a significant uptick in the last quarter), but elevated g-force event rates did not decline. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated g-force events among adolescents may have contributed to crash and near-crash rates that remained much higher than adult levels after 18 months of driving.
OBJECTIVES: We compared rates of risky driving among novice adolescent and adult drivers over the first 18 months of adolescents' licensure. METHODS: Data-recording systems installed in participants' vehicles provided information on driving performance of 42 newly licensed adolescent drivers and their parents. We analyzed crashes and near crashes and elevated g-force event rates by Poisson regression with random effects. RESULTS: During the study period, adolescents were involved in 279 crashes or near crashes (1 involving injury); parents had 34 such accidents. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) comparing adolescent and parent crash and near-crash rates was 3.91. Among adolescent drivers, elevated rates of g-force events correlated with crashes and near crashes (r = 0.60; P < .001). The IRR comparing incident rates of risky driving among adolescents and parents was 5.08. Adolescents' rates of crashes and near crashes declined with time (with a significant uptick in the last quarter), but elevated g-force event rates did not decline. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated g-force events among adolescents may have contributed to crash and near-crash rates that remained much higher than adult levels after 18 months of driving.
Authors: Feng Guo; Bruce G Simons-Morton; Sheila E Klauer; Marie Claude Ouimet; Thomas A Dingus; Suzanne E Lee Journal: J Pediatr Date: 2013-08-27 Impact factor: 4.406
Authors: Emily B Falk; Christopher N Cascio; Matthew Brook O'Donnell; Joshua Carp; Francis J Tinney; C Raymond Bingham; Jean T Shope; Marie Claude Ouimet; Anuj K Pradhan; Bruce G Simons-Morton Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2014-05 Impact factor: 5.012