IMPROVE THE DRIVER TRAINING . FOR ALL SAFETY; CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF TRAFFIC SAFETY

The aim of driver training is to teach people to participate in traffic in a safe and efficient way. Driver training should ensure that the driver is not a danger to himself or to others when participating in traffic and also that he is no hindrance to other traffic. However does the existing driver training guarantee a safe driver? Driver training is mainly concerned traditionally with traffic behaviour and vehicle control. In driver training the traffic task is judged in its totality and no attention is paid to the different processes of driving such as perception, forecasting, evaluation, decision making and carrying out manoeuvres. Driver training only pays attention to the development of knowledge and skill and not to problems of route choice, selection of transport mode or mobility; nothing is done to develop attitudes and motivation. Recommendations to modify driver training are proposed, but the need for further research is stressed, in particular into the behaviour of recently qualified drivers aged from 18 years old until their thirties or until they have obtained one hundred thousand kilometers of driving experience. (TRRL)