Youths' Development in Driver Behaviour, Attitudes and Accidents

part of the project 'High Risk Groups in Road Traffic,' commissioned by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, the authors have investigated youths' development in attitudes, driver behaviour, and accident involvement. One sample participated in a questionnaire survey when they were 16 years old and yet another when they were 18 and 20 years old. The results indicate a change in both attitudes and driver behaviour with increasing age and driver experience. The youths seem to become gradually more pragmatic with regard to traffic rules as judged by the development in their attitudes. Changes in attitudes over time are probably caused both by increasing age per se, by having acquired the driver's license, and by gaining experience as a driver. Changes in driving behavior were also observed as they gain experience, young drivers report making fewer errors and lapses, but more deliberate violations than they did as novice drivers. There are, however, few significant associations between driver behaviour and accident risk.