EFFECTIVENESS OF GRADUATED DRIVER LICENSING

Concern about the high crash rates of beginning drivers has prompted a steadily increasing number of jurisdictions in North America to design and implement graduated driver licensing programs. The primary objective of these programs is to reduce crashes by ensuring new drivers gain experience and mature under conditions of low risk before graduating to more demanding driving conditions. Evidence of the effectiveness of graduated licensing has been growing. Formal evaluations in New Zealand, Florida, Ontario, and Nova Scotia have shown that graduated licensing is associated with significant reductions in collisions. Preliminary findings from ongoing evaluations in Michigan, Kentucky, North Carolina and California also suggest that graduated licensing is effective. This paper outlines the rationale of graduated licensing, describes key features and support for such a system, and discusses its safety effectiveness.