National Debate on Young Drivers' Safety: Final Report
A report by Atkins and Professor Stephen Stradling
Notice
This document and its contents have been prepared and are
intended solely for Transport Scotland’s information
and use in relation to the National Debate on Young
Drivers’ Safety.
Atkins Limited assumes no responsibility to any other
party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this
document and/or its contents.
This document is also available in pdf format (791k)
Contents
Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Aims and objectives
1.3 Structure of this report
2. Context
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Key facts
2.3 Factors influencing young driver safety
2.4 Driving test statistics
3. Conducting the national debate
3.1 Overall approach
3.2 Internal brainstorm
3.3 General stakeholder engagement
3.4 Semi- structured interviews with road safety
representatives
3.5 Focus groups
3.6 Online survey
3.7 Dedicated ‘Facebook’ page
4. Types of intervention considered
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Intervention Type A – Education and training for younger
children and pre-drivers
4.3 Intervention Type B – Education, training and testing for
learner and novice drivers
4.4 Intervention Type C – Graduated driver licensing and
licence restrictions
4.5 Intervention Type D – Enforcement and restorative
justice
4.6 Intervention Type E – Use of technology
4.7 Intervention Type F – Encouragement and leadership,
including incentives and working with the private sector
5. Feedback from the national debate
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Intervention Type A – Education and training for younger
children and pre-drivers
5.3 Intervention Type B – Education, training and testing for
learner and novice drivers
5.4 Intervention Type C – Graduated driver licensing and
licence restrictions
5.5 Intervention Type D - Enforcement and restorative justice
5.6 Intervention Type E – Use of technology
5.7 Intervention Type F – Encouragement and leadership,
including incentives and working with the private sector
5.8 Summary of debate findings
6. Interventions for promoting young driver safety
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Detailed assessment
7. Discussion of intervention types and recommendations
7.1 Intervention Type A – Education and training for younger
children and pre-drivers
7.2 Intervention Type B – Education, training and testing for
learner and novice drivers
7.3 Intervention Type C – Graduated driver licensing and
licence restrictions
7.4 Intervention Type D – Enforcement and restorative
justice
7.5 Intervention Type E – Use of technology
7.6 Intervention Type F – Encouragement and leadership,
including incentives and working with the private sector
7.7 Further overarching recommendations
List of Figures
Figure 2.1 – Number per thousand population killed or
seriously injured while driving a car in Scotland (2005 to 2009
average)
Figure 2.2 – Number of drivers in Scotland, aged 17 to 25,
killed or seriously injured by time of day, per year – 2005
to 2009 average
List of Tables
Table 2.1 – Annual car driving test statistics for Scotland
(2009/10)
Table 2.2 – Age profile of those taking and passing the
driving test, and average pass rate in Scotland (2009/10)
Table 5.1 – Intervention Type A - Online survey results
Table 5.2 – Intervention Type B - Online survey results
Table 5.3 – Intervention Type C - Online survey results
Table 5.4 – Intervention Type D - Online survey results
Table 5.5 – Intervention Type E - Online survey results
Table 5.6 – Comments from young people, for and against
technology based interventions
Table 5.7 – Intervention Type F - Online survey results
Table 5.8 – Intervention Type F - Online survey results
Table 5.9 – Summary of preferred approaches (common themes)
amongst those involved in the debate
Table 6.1 – Intervention Type A - Education and training
options for younger children and pre-drivers
Table 6.2 – Intervention Type B – Education, training
and testing for learner and novice drivers
Table 6.3 – Intervention Type C – Graduated driver
licensing and licence restrictions
Table 6.4 – Intervention Type D – Enforcement and
restorative justice
Table 6.5 – Intervention Type E – Use of
technology
Table 6.6 – Intervention Type F – Encouragement and
leadership, including incentives and working with the private
sector
Table 7.1 – % of survey respondents who drive and are
‘unsupportive’ or ‘very unsupportive’ of
restrictions on licensing
Appendix A: Case study examples
A.1 Introduction
A.2 Intervention Type A – Education and training for younger
children and pre-drivers
A.3 Intervention Type B – Education, training and testing for
learner and novice drivers
A.4 Intervention Type C - Graduated driver licensing and licence
restrictions
A.5 Intervention Type D - Enforcement and restorative justice
A.6 Intervention Type E - Use of technology
A.7 Intervention Type F – Encouragement and leadership,
including incentives and working with the private sector
Appendix B: Focus group topic guide
Appendix C: Online survey questionnaire
Appendix D: Summary of survey responses
D.1 Characteristics of respondents
D.2 Education and training for younger children and pre-drivers
(and others)
D.3 Education and training for learners and novices
D.4 Graduated driver licensing and licence restrictions
D.5 Enforcement and restorative justice
D.6 Use of technology
Appendix E: Assessment of interventions
E.1 Assessment criteria
E.2 Assessment results