TIRF to study graduated licence programs with parental involvement components

The Ottawa-based Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) will study the effectiveness of graduated driver licensing programs that incorporate parental involvement.
TIRF is teaming up with Data Nexus Inc. and the Texas Transportation Institute to conduct the study.
The study is scheduled for completion in winter 2012.
“While most GDL programs incorporate formal or informal parental involvement components for youths seeking a driver’s licence, the number, variety and effectiveness of teen driving programs incorporating formal parental involvement is unknown,” a TIRF release says.
The study is designed to identify the many programs with parental involvement that are managed by states and other safety practitioners. Once programs are identified, information about these programs will be compiled into a comprehensive compendium of parental involvement programs for teen drivers.
Based on an assessment of the quality of each program in the inventory, researchers will create a list of the most promising programs that are suitable for an in-depth case study, the release continues.
The case studies will examine the extent to which knowledge and attitudes about risks associated with driving behaviours have changed because of the program. It will also explore how the frequency of specific driving behaviours has changed because of the program, and any reductions among program participants in the frequency or severity of crashes.