EFFECTIVENESS AND ROLE OF DRIVER EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN A GRADUATED LICENSING SYSTEM

Formal driver education/training programs exist in almost all jurisdic tions around the world. They are generally accepted as an efficient an d effective means for learning to drive, and, more importantly, for le arning to drive safely, although empirical evidence for safety benefit s is lacking. Recently, there has been a heightened interest in driver education/training, largely as a result of the adoption of graduated licensing in a few jurisdictions in North America and elsewhere. These jurisdictions have effectively elevated the status of driver educatio n/training by integrating it into the licensing system. Implicitly, th is suggests that driver education provides safety benefits. This artic le provides a contemporary review of the value of driver education/tra ining, particularly in relation to new licensing systems such as gradu ated ones. The article examines the safety benefits of driver educatio n/training and considers the merits of integrating driver education/tr aining programs with new approaches to the licensing of young drivers.