A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Teen Driving

With a long-range goal of reducing crashes and related injuries among teen drivers, this project will assess the influence of a parent-focused intervention on teens' driving and safety behaviors. This randomized controlled trial will evaluate an intervention that integrates an in-vehicle video feedback system with parent-based communication techniques to improve teen driving. This will be the first rigorous evaluation of this technology, as well as the first to integrate a parent component. The in-vehicle video system records a video clip whenever an abrupt change in speed or steering direction is detected. These event-triggered video clips will be coded to identify safety-relevant events like driving errors and safety behaviors. A randomized group of parents will receive a weekly "driving report card" that summarizes driving errors, safety behaviors, and crashes or near-crashes recorded by the in-vehicle system. A second group of randomized parents will receive the report card plus training in communication strategies specifically designed to improve parent-teen communication about safe driving (based on Motivational Interviewing). Driving errors and safety behaviors will be compared to a control group that receives no feedback from the in-vehicle video system.

The specific aims of this proposed project are:

Specific Aim 1: Identify if giving parents feedback about their teen's driving performance and skills to better communicate with their teen driver increases the quality and quantity of parental involvement in teen driving.

Hypothesis: The intervention groups will report more frequent and higher-quality communication about safe driving than the control group.

Specific Aim 2: Identify if giving parents feedback about their teen's driving performance and skills to better communicate with their teen driver decreases the frequency of driving errors, unsafe driving behaviors, crashes, and near crashes.