Why we can't teach safe driving - yet

It is argued that driver training and improvement programs could be made more effective by including available knowledge about failures in the driving task. While available evidence demonstrates no benefits from supplementary driver training (including off road training) or defensive driving courses, the claims of the driver training industry and its survival in a market environment warrant more extensive evaluation of its potential contribution. Some suggestions are made regarding sources of information about failures in the driving task which could be used to improve driver instruction. These include systematic examination of accident databases for information about driver error, surveys of driver understanding of traffic control systems and comparisons of risk assessment and risk taking by experienced and inexperienced drivers (a).