Effect of Drivers Education on Traffic Safety: GDL-Mandated Comprehensive Driver Training Reduces Young Novice Drivers’ Involvement in Seriously Injurious and Fatal Crashes

Dong, Xiaoxia; Wu, Jasmine Siyu; Guerra, Erick; Ryerson, Megan S; Walshe, Elizabeth A

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Effect of Drivers Education on Traffic Safety: GDL-Mandated Comprehensive Driver Training Reduces Young Novice Drivers’ Involvement in Seriously Injurious and Fatal Crashes

2025-07-23
By Dong, Xiaoxia ; Wu, Jasmine Siyu ; Guerra, Erick ; ...

File Language:

English

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Creators:

Dong, Xiaoxia ; Wu, Jasmine Siyu ; Guerra, Erick ; Ryerson, Megan S ; Walshe, Elizabeth A
Corporate Creators:

University of Pennsylvania. School of Design
Corporate Contributors:

Carnegie Mellon University. Traffic21 Institute. Safety21 University Transportation Center (UTC) ; United States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program ; United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
Subject/TRT Terms:

Chi Square Test Crash Severity Demographics Driver Education Graduated Licensing Logistic Regression Analysis Teenage Drivers Traffic Safety Education Young Adults
Publication/ Report Number:

419
Resource Type:

Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:

United States
Edition:

Final Report
Corporate Publisher:

Carnegie Mellon University. Traffic21 Institute. Safety21 University Transportation Center (UTC)
Abstract:

Despite nationwide GDL laws, young driver crashes remain disproportionately high. Some states with additional GDL-mandated driver training show reduced crash rates in young new drivers, but the impact on crash severity is not known. We used a Chi-square analysis and a binomial logit analysis to examine whether and how comprehensive driver’s education and training requirements under GDL laws are associated with involvement in severe crashes one year after licensure among young novice drivers. Data came from a partnership between the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, including licensing and crash records of over 130,000 novice drivers first licensed under age 25 between 2017 and 2019. We found significant associations between GDL-mandated driver training completion and severe crash involvement among young novice drivers. On average, drivers who completed GDL-mandated driver training had approximately 70% lower odds of being involved in severe crashes one year after licensure than those who did not. Our findings remind officials about the urgency to allow teens access to GDL-required training to reduce severe crashes immediately post-licensure.
Format:

PDF
Funding:

69A3552344811 / 69A3552348316
Collection(s):

University Transportation Centers
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:22a8a23f24cbf499b66360d8cfcc688843fd8d31ef75043de95e85cd9b20f6ca57ad90b80bec8f165de3751ebf71ed3bd85d481a29a907b7c09170e4ff589cb3
Download URL:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/85710/dot_85710_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.22 MB ]

File Language:

English

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