Pre and Learner drivers, Parents and Supervisors

DEA have delivered a pilot program in a number of schools involving approx 500 students and approx 100 parents since 2004.  All participating students where surveyed on a wide range of road safety issues, summary indicate:

1. Coaching skills in existing motorists need improving.
2. Risk assessment and risk taking during the novice driving lessons is poorly executed between coach and student.
3. 80% of students observe and rate road user diving practice as poor.
4. 50% of students believe that drivers are unnecessarily aggressive.
5. 55% of students consistently witness “double driving standards” with their coaches.
6. 75% of students believed that their parents lacked adequate coaching skills
7. 70% of students could not recall a government road safety campaign or road safety message.
8. Prior to the commencement of the Amber Light Program driver 90% of students could not identify or articulate high order skills or safe driving principles.
9. Selfish driving and passive aggressive attitudes shaped the coaches driving culture.
10. 75% expressed the need for Joint Skills Acquisition (ie the opportunity for shared education between novice driver and coach.


Parent (driver coaches) surveys indicated:

1. 80% did not see intersections as risk areas.
2. 60% could not articulate the concept of headway.
3. 70% could not determine approximate stopping distances.
4. 50% could not identify a high order skill.
5. 60% were not adequately familiar with GLS requirements and the learners log.
6. 80% did not see mobile phone use as a distraction.
7. 55% of parents believed they had only adequate coaching skills.
8. 100% supported schools focused driver education.

The above results provided valuable areas to target knowledge gain, awareness and test models for high order skill development.