The influence of attitudes to Graduated Driver Licensing on subsequent risky driving behaviours

This paper describes a study that examined the relationship between adolescent and parent attitudes towards the graduated driver licensing system (GDLS) and the subsequent driving behaviours of these adolescents. This study was part of an ongoing longitudinal study of a birth cohort, the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (DMHDS). When the cohort was age 15, which coincided with the introduction of the GDLS in New Zealand, study participants and their parents were asked how they expected to be affected by, and their overall attitude towards, the GDLS. At age 18, after experience with the GDLS, study participants reported how they had been affected by the driving restrictions, and their overall attitude towards the GDLS. Using logistic regression these measures were examined as potential predictors of risky driving behaviours (drink driving, speeding, non-use of seatbelts) reported by the study participants at age 21. The findings will be presented and the conclusions discussed.