Young drivers and their cars: Safe and sound or the perfect storm?

Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar; Scott-Parker, Bridie · 2018 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2017.09.008

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Summary

This study investigates the intersection of young driver behavior and vehicle characteristics in Colombia, a middle-income nation where young drivers are disproportionately represented in road trauma statistics. Motivated by the limitations of driver-centric safety interventions, the authors adopt a systems thinking perspective to examine how vehicle safety features and types interact with risky driving behaviors. The research aims to determine whether young drivers are operating in a "perfect storm" of risk by analyzing the safety performance of their vehicles, identifying prevalent risky behaviors, and profiling high-risk drivers based on driver-vehicle interactions. The researchers recruited 379 young drivers (aged 16–25) from a university in Barranquilla, Colombia. Participants completed an online survey using the Spanish version of the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS-Sp) to self-report risky driving behaviors, alongside providing data on vehicle ownership, make, model, and crash history. Vehicle safety was assessed using ratings from three programs: Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), U.S. NCAP, and Latin NCAP. These ratings were standardized into low, medium, and high safety categories. Statistical analyses, including t-tests, ANOVAs, and correlations, were used to examine relationships between demographic factors, vehicle characteristics, and driving behaviors. The results indicate that young drivers in Colombia engage in significant risky behaviors, with risky driving exposure and speed violations being the most prevalent. Male drivers reported significantly higher levels of risky behavior than females. Regarding vehicles, 76.6% of participants drove small-to-medium cars, which were associated with poorer safety outcomes. The average vehicle age was 4.82 years, with owned vehicles being slightly newer than accessed ones. Crucially, vehicle safety ratings were generally low; Latin NCAP coverage was limited, with half of the rated vehicles receiving only 0–2 stars. There was considerable discrepancy between the three safety rating programs, and many vehicles lacked any safety assessment. High-risk drivers were characterized by higher exposure to risky driving and ownership of vehicles with lower safety ratings. The study concludes that young drivers in Colombia face a compounded risk due to the combination of high-risk driving behaviors and the use of vehicles with poor safety performance. The findings highlight a critical gap in vehicle safety standards in developing nations, where vehicles often lack the safety features found in high-income countries. The authors argue for system-wide strategies, including improved vehicle safety rating scales and regulations on vehicle sales, to enhance road safety. They emphasize that interventions must address both driver behavior and the physical safety of the vehicles used, particularly for young drivers who are already vulnerable due to inexperience and risk-taking tendencies.

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Topics

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• novice drivers
• sex gender
• passenger effects
• demographic disparities
• cultural cross national
• induced exposure

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource