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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Unspoken trepidations progressing through the licensing system: A qualitative study of teen novice drivers
Safety Science, Vol.190, pp.1-10
2025
Abstract
The over-representation of young drivers in road crash fatalities and serious injuries remains a persistent global problem, which has led to significant research efforts directed at understanding factors that influence young drivers’ behaviour and safety. Despite the associated importance of graduated driver licensing systems, limited research has explored young drivers’ perspectives of their experiences as they navigate the learning to drive process and transition to independent driving. The purpose of the research was to explore novice drivers’ learning experiences across the early stages of the licensing process. A thematic analysis was conducted of 57 young novice drivers’ (16–19 years; 24 males) shared narratives regarding challenges encountered during the licensing process provided in an online survey. Three overarching themes emerged, centred around the licensing system, individual, and driving environment, and encapsulated in ten sub-themes: parents as supervisors, mandated driving hours, the practical driving test, driving skills deficit, self-calibration, learning needs and expectations, emotive state, distraction, other road users, and peer intentions and driving behaviours. While traditional themes known to be contributing factors to increased crash risk were identified (e.g., emotions and distraction), a number of unique themes were found that further illuminate the complexity of the challenges associated with learning and progressing through the licensing system (e.g., learning needs and expectations and other road users). The paper outlines the relevance of these themes in regard to young drivers successfully transitioning to independent driving and suggests practical and policy implications to improve the current over-representation of young novice drivers in road trauma.
Details
- Title
- Unspoken trepidations progressing through the licensing system: A qualitative study of teen novice drivers
- Authors
- Natalie Watson-Brown (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Thompson InstituteBridie Scott-Parker (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Law and SocietyTeresa Senserrick (Author) - The University of Western Australia
- Publication details
- Safety Science, Vol.190, pp.1-10
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.106910
- ISSN
- 1879-1042; 0925-7535
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
- Grant note
- At the time of the research the first author was supported through the Australian Government’s Research Training Program Scholarship, and the second author was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Research Fellowship. This research was supported (partially or fully) by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) Queensland.
- Organisation Unit
- Thompson Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991137306102621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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