Number 328 May 2007

Traffic Safety Facts

Traffic Tech – Technology Transfer Series

U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Parent-Taught Driver Education in Texas

In April 1997, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) 

implemented rules, based on legislation passed in 1995, 

for parent- or guardian-taught novice driver training that 

meets all the driver training requirements necessary for 

licensing teens 16 to 18 years old. As currently constituted, 

the parent-taught driver education program in Texas 

essentially grants parents the same role, rights, privileges, 

and responsibilities as were formerly granted only to Statelicensed and approved novice driver instructors and driver 

education programs.

NHTSA sponsored a study by the Texas Transportation 

Institute (TTI) to evaluate the parent-taught driver 

education (PTDE) option in Texas. The primary goal 

was to determine the impact, if any, the PTDE had on the 

education and training of young novice drivers and on the 

safety of novice drivers on Texas streets and highways. TTI 

conducted this evaluation using three different research 

techniques: (1) focus groups with driver education 

instructors, teen drivers, and their parents; (2) a statewide 

mail survey of young drivers; and (3) an analysis of Texas 

driver records, including a comparison of driver records 

both before and after implementation of the graduated 

driver licensing (GDL) in program in Texas in 2002. 

Differences in Attitudes, Knowledge, and Skills of 

Novice Drivers

Based on the responses of 500 young drivers in a statewide 

survey and participants in nine focus groups, driver 

education (DE) students and their parents agree that 

the PTDE program offers advantages over commercial 

and public school modes of DE delivery in terms of cost, 

comfort, and individualized personal attention to the 

student. Professional DE instructors believe the negative 

aspects of the PTDE program outweigh any perceived 

benefits, due largely to a lack of training, knowledge, and 

teaching skills on the part of parent-teachers.

No differences in driving knowledge and skills among the 

three DE course delivery modes (i.e., public, commercial, 

and parent-taught) were discernible from self-reports of 

specific driving-related knowledge and skills.

However, as measured by State-administered tests, PTDE 

students demonstrated poorer driving knowledge early 

in the training and licensing process and poorer driving 

skills at the end of formal driver education. Although 

only a small proportion of DE students failed to pass 

either the test required to obtain an instructional permit 

or the optional in-vehicle road test on the first attempt, 

significantly more PTDE drivers required multiple attempts 

to pass either test.

Differences in Driving Errors, Traffic Offenses and 

Crash Involvement

Based on 1.4 million Texas driver records, PTDE novice 

drivers were convicted of more traffic offenses than 

commercial or public school-trained drivers before 

implementation of the Graduated Driver Licensing GDL 

program, especially in the first year of driving.

Since implementation of GDL, convictions for traffic 

offenses are substantially fewer for all novice drivers. 

Differences that did exist were smaller and favored 

PTDE drivers during the period of most supervision (i.e., 

instructional permit phase of licensing). During the period 

when requirements for adult supervision were reduced 

(probationary license), and after supervisory and other 

GDL restrictions were removed (full licensure), PTDE 

drivers again experienced proportionally more total traffic 

convictions than drivers trained under commercial/public 

school DE programs.

Based on self-reports of novice drivers subject to GDL in 

Texas, the incidence of crashes involving PTDE drivers 

was not greater than that reported by commercial or public 

school trained novice drivers.

Analysis of driver records, however, indicate that before 

implementation of the Texas GDL, PTDE novice drivers 

experienced more serious crashes at a higher frequency over the 
TRAFFIC TECH is a publication to disseminate information 

about traffic safety programs, including evaluations, innovative 

programs, and new publications. Feel free to copy it as you wish. 

If you would like to receive a copy, contact Melissa Cheung, MPH, 

Editor, fax 202-366-7096, e-mail: traffic.tech@dot.gov.

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

NTI-130

Washington, DC 20590

first 18 months of driving experience than drivers from other DE 

modes. Through the next 18 months of driving most differences 

disappeared except for possible injury crashes which occurred 

with greater frequency among commercial/public school 

(Com/Pub) DE students (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1

All crashes as a function of driver education mode: No GDL

Months After Original Record

+6 7-12 13-18 19-24 25-30 31-36

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Crashes/10K Drivers

370

252

469

632 635

573

528

584

651

605 632

494

PT

Com/Pub

Since implementation of GDL, crashes are substantially fewer 

for all novice drivers. Differences that do exist generally 

are small and favor PTDE drivers during the period of most 

supervision (i.e., the instructional permit phase of licensing). 

During the period when requirements for adult supervision are 

reduced (provisional license) and after supervisory and other 

GDL restrictions are removed (full licensure), PTDE drivers 

experience serious crashes at proportionally higher frequencies 

than drivers trained under Com/Pub DE programs (see Figure 

2). This finding is evident for involvement in non-incapacitating, 

incapacitating, and, as illustrated in Figure 3, fatal crashes. 

Figure 2 

All crashes as a function of driver education mode: GDL

Figure 3

Fatal crashes as a function of driver education mode: GDL 

Undoubtedly, some parents who serve as their teens’ sole 

driving instructor under the program are highly motivated to 

do well and succeed in producing novice drivers who are at 

least as prepared to drive as teens who take a traditional driver 

education. Many other parents, however, are highly motivated 

to be their child’s primary driving instructor, have the best 

interests of their children at heart, but simply are not equipped 

with the requisite aptitudes, attitudes, and experience to do so 

successfully. Still other parents who opt to participate in the 

program are neither appropriately equipped nor motivated.

Conclusions

Based on the analysis of information derived from nine focus 

groups, the responses of approximately 500 young drivers 

to a statewide survey, and analysis of more than 1.4 million 

Texas driver records, there is evidence to suggest that the 

parent-taught driver education program has a negative 

influence on the overall safety of novice drivers in Texas, 

especially in terms of young driver crash involvement.

How to Order

For a copy of Parent-Taught Driver Education in Texas: A 

Comparative Evaluation (153 pages plus appendices), write to 

the Office of Behavioral Safety Research, NHTSA, NTI-130, 400 

Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590, send a fax to 202-

366-7096, or download from www.nhtsa.dot.gov. Patty EllisonPotter, Ph.D. was the Project Manager.

Months After Original Record

+6 7-12 13-18 19-24

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Crashes/10K Drivers

123

93

458

528

391

512 533

405

PT

Com/Pub

Months After Original Record

+6 7-12 13-18 19-24

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Crashes/10K Drivers

0.3 0.4

1.9

1.5

3.0 2.8

4.2

3.2

PT

Com/Pub