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ABSTRACT: Traditional approaches to the improvement of young driver safety have not worked well. This paper proposes an action plan that breaks with tradition. Using a system-based approach, the plan sets out explicitly to achieve its safety objectives by doing things with/for young drivers rather than doing things to them. A fundamental goal is to alter the nature of the non-driver to driver process.
It proposes a more gradual and systematic involvement of participants, with fewer system constraints and much greater support and guidance of individual driving-related behaviour.

The paper "Managing to Reduce the Young Driver Problem…" by Alan Drummond illustrates a reasonable attempt to develop a comprehensive approach to the young driver problem using most of the available tools that we now have for doing so. If I understand his presentation he is basically advocating a system that emphases a gradual transition from non-driving to achieving full driving status. Though his paper appears to emphasis "common sense" approaches to the problem at least some of what he suggests is supported by empirical work and observations. Of particular interest is the fact that he has apparently suggested the implementation of a "solo" driving period immediately following issuance of the provisional license. It is unfortunate that this was one of the areas not supported by his workshop participants.

There were two things in the paper that puzzled me. Perhaps someone contributing to the discussion can clear them up. What is the CBT&A approach? What does the element "driving your street" involve?

Colin Burton reply to William Wheeler

CBT&A is the approach that we have now had introduced into Australia.

The key to CBT is a properly written standard of competency.

Essentially the driving task is broken down into it's various component parts. There is a variety of opinions on how far this can go however we have identified 41 essential competncies which fall into three basic catagories.

1 Basic driving drills:
Starting
Moving off
Stopping.

2 Routine driving Dynamics including Forces acting on a car broken into three sub-groups of:

A Steering
Gears
Brakes
Cornering
Turns

B Manouvers
Parking
Reversing
U turns etc

C Emergency procedures
Quick Starts
Threshold braking
Swerve and Recovery

3 Roadcraft

System of Car Control (Hendon System)
Road Observation Skills
Driving in Traffic, of which there are several elements, including freeways, Night Driving and Country driving

At the end of each group of units of competency there are reviews of progress and these must be achieved before tackling the next group of units.

The process is managed by a trained and qualified instructor and involves parents and friends as assistants and experience providers for the student.

The process would take a raw beginner around 6 months of dedicated training and they would drive around 500 miles or 800 kilometers to eventually be able to pass a competency based driving assessment.

I cannot comment on a unit/element discriptor "driving your street" but it strikes me that unfortunately there is again a move by some to currupt the driving task discriptor with lay terms and words which do not fit into a competency document.

Having written competency documentation for both a CBT&A log book program and the General Road Observation Test I would also be confused by an element "driving your street".

Colin R Burton JP
Executive Director
Institute of Driver Development (Australia)
www.idd.com.au

Reply to Colin
CBT would work well if two things were to happen:
One, only applicants who are prepared to start from the beginning and complete a full course to undertake CBT. (This may take 6 months and 500 kilometers if done correctly, as you stated).
Two, a third person should be involved to actually assess the pupil before giving out the licence (external assessment).
What happens here in South Australia (we had CBT for 5 years and it has been very stressful for instructors) students still learn for 4 months or more with parents/friends and then find a 'weak link' in the chain of instructors who signs off tasks even if they not up to standard.
(In four months many habits can creep in and you can't change these overnight). Students have competitions in schools, who has the least number of lessons to finish CBT. If you have too many you are not 'cool' As I have said in other places in this conference, the system will only work if CBT = Competency based training includes an external assessment as well as an internal one and a minimum number of lessons (including attitudes, behaviour etc). South Australia is not following these guidelines, we only have an internal assessment.
Dieter Fischer, Driving Plus Motor School, Adelaide www.driving-school.com.au