Intervention to Improve Driving Practices Among High-Risk Teen Drivers

项目概要 机动车碰撞 (MVC) 是美国青少年死亡的主要原因。违反交通规则的青少年司机面临的风险更大。然而，大多数以家长为中心的干预措施都是针对处于学习阶段的青少年驾驶员，而在无人监督的独立驾驶阶段或针对高风险青少年驾驶员（例如交通违法者）实施的干预措施很少。从车载设备到智能手机应用程序的技术进步为增强青少年的安全驾驶提供了新途径。然而，人们对如何利用这项技术积极吸引家长并随后影响青少年的安全驾驶行为知之甚少。本研究的目的是评估提供驾驶反馈（有或没有家长培训）对减少高风险青少年驾驶员的危险驾驶事件、不安全驾驶行为和累犯（随后的交通违规）的效果。我们的中心假设是，通过技术设备和应用程序提供驾驶反馈将减少危险的驾驶事件和行为，并且通过家长培训增强反馈将进一步改善结果。我们将测试以下具体目标： 目标 1：确定干预措施对减少青少年危险驾驶事件和不安全驾驶行为的效果；目标 2：确定干预措施对提高家长与青少年关于安全驾驶实践的沟通频率和质量的影响；目标 3：确定干预措施对减少青少年交通违规累犯的效果。在青少年强制法庭听证会后，我们将从俄亥俄州富兰克林县青少年交通法院招募犯有交通违规行为的青少年司机（16 至 17 岁）及其父母/法定监护人（n = 240 人）。登记的家长-青少年二人组将被随机分配到 3 个研究组中的 1 个（n=80 人/组）： 第 1 组，没有设备反馈也没有家长培训的对照组；第 2 组，仅向青少年提供设备反馈，不向家长提供反馈或培训；第三组，向青少年和家长提供设备反馈，他们还将接受交通安全通信专家的个性化虚拟培训。预期结果将确定车载驾驶反馈技术的有效性，并辅以家长培训，以减少危险驾驶事件、不安全驾驶行为和累犯。我们的项目意义重大，因为它针对的是交通违规的高风险青少年的安全驾驶。该研究具有创新性，因为它与当地法院系统合作，并利用新颖的车载技术来提供客观测量的研究结果。这项研究的结果将对青少年交通法庭旨在通过减少碰撞、伤害和死亡来提高青少年驾驶安全的做法和政策产生重大影响。

PROJECT SUMMARY Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States. Teen drivers who have committed a traffic violation are at even greater risk. However, most parent-focused interventions target teen drivers during the learner phase, with very few interventions being implemented during the unsupervised independent driving phase or targeting high-risk teen drivers, such as those with traffic violations. Advances in technology, ranging from in-vehicle devices to smartphone applications, offer a new avenue to enhance teens’ safe driving. However, little is known about how to use this technology to actively engage parents, and subsequently, influence teens’ safe driving practices. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of providing driving feedback (with and without parent training) on reducing risky driving events, unsafe driving behaviors, and recidivism (subsequent traffic violation) among high-risk teen drivers. Our central hypothesis is that driving feedback via a technological device and app will reduce risky driving events and behaviors, and that augmenting feedback with parent training will further improve outcomes. We will test the following specific aims: Aim 1: Determine the effects of the intervention on reducing teens’ risky driving events and unsafe driving behaviors; Aim 2: Determine the effects of the intervention on increasing frequency and quality of parent-teen communication about safe driving practices; and Aim 3: Determine the effects of the intervention on decreasing teen traffic violation recidivism. We will enroll teen drivers (age 16 to 17 years) who committed a moving violation along with their parents/legal guardians (n=240 dyads) from the Ohio Franklin County Juvenile Traffic Court following the teens’ mandatory court hearing. Enrolled parent-teen dyads will be randomly assigned to 1 of 3 study groups (n=80 dyads/group): Group 1, control group with no device feedback nor parent training; Group 2, device feedback to teens only, providing no feedback nor training to parents; or Group 3, device feedback to teens and parents, who will also receive individualized virtual training with a traffic safety communication specialist. The expected outcome will establish the effectiveness of in-vehicle driving feedback technology augmented with parent training in reducing risky driving events, unsafe driving behaviors and recidivism. Our project is significant because it targets safe driving among high-risk teens who have committed a traffic violation. The study is innovative because it partners with the local court system and utilizes novel in-vehicle technologies to provide objectively measured study outcomes. The findings of this study will have a significant impact on juvenile traffic court’s practices and policies aimed to improve teen driving safety by reducing crashes, injuries, and deaths.