Project R-1396

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the additional training course 'on the road' (Research)

From recent numbers we can learn that still to many traffic accidents occur with young people who just got their driver's licence. In 2005 13.509 young people between age 18 and 24 became the victim of a traffic accident, of whom 196 died and of which 102 died in Flanders. Research of the cell 'Verkeersveiligheid' (Willems & Cuyvers,2005) shows that young people are at a much higher risk of having an accident then the rest of the population. The reasons for this elevation can be divided into two groups: the aged-related factors and the experience-related factors. The experience-related factors are suggested to explain the bigger part (if not the biggest part) of the elevated risks. Therefore the 'Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde' (VSV) and the VTB-VAB are organizing a supplemental training ([On the Road], see www.o-t-r.be)for young people between age 18 and 24 who just or within the last three years, passed their driving test, in order to allow them to gain more knowledge, attitude and experience so that they can come to a thorough self-evaluation. In this way they can gain more experience in a positive way. [On the road] consists of a supplemental training of half a day and emphazises on preventive driving. They anticipate on how to improve your drivingstyle, one aqcuires an insight on the risks bound to driving and one learns how to anticipate in difficult traffic situations. Beside a theoretical part the course also contains a practical side: driving on a public road will be evaluated and also are there a number of extra exercises on the training ground which will help young people to act quicker and better in an emergency situation, such as making an emergencystop and evasive manoever. The client wants a scientific evaluation about the effenciency of this project [On the Road].

01 October 2008 - 31 March 2009