THE SITUATIONAL RISKS OF YOUNG DRIVERS - THE INFLUENCE OF PASSENGERS,TIME OF DAY AND DAY OF WEEK ON ACCIDENT RATES

This paper provides new insight into the situational risks of young dr ivers, especially in terms of the passenger effect. Two 1988 data base s from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation were used to estimate ac cident involvement rates by number of passengers, time of day and day of the week-first individually and then for all two-way combinations w ith the passenger variable. Accident data were derived from police rep orts for all accidents involving a fatality, personal injury or proper ty damage exceeding $700. Estimates of exposure were based on the most up-to-date provincial travel survey available at the time of the stud y. Results indicate that the accident involvement rates of 16-19 year old drivers are higher than those of 20-24 and 25-59 year olds in all situations that were examined, but that they were disproportionately h igh on weekends, at nighttime and with passengers. The results of the passenger variable are particularly interesting because, unlike weeken ds and nighttime, the negative effect of passengers on overall acciden t rates was evident only for 16-19 year old drivers. This effect was q uite pronounced for both sexes, with accident involvement rates being approximately twice as high with passengers as without. For 16-19 year olds, accident rates were also significantly higher for two or more p assengers versus one passenger. The highest rates for this age group o ccurred with passengers at nighttime. Possible explanations for these patterns and policy implications are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.