A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Teen Driving
Condition: Motor Vehicle Driving
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This randomized controlled trial will evaluate an intervention that provides parents with
      objective feedback about their teen's driving as well as strategies to improve communication
      with their teen about driving. We will recruit 180 newly-licensed teen drivers and a parent
      or guardian. Our main hypotheses are that: parent-teen dyads who receive feedback will have
      reduced driving errors and increased safety behaviors than dyads with no feedback; and,
      parent-teen dyads who receive instruction on communication techniques will have improved
      quality and quantity of communication about driving than dyads not learning these techniques.
    

Detailed description: 
      With a long-range goal of reducing crashes and related injuries among teen drivers, this
      project will assess the influence of a parent-focused intervention on teens' driving and
      safety behaviors. This randomized controlled trial will evaluate an intervention that
      integrates an in-vehicle video feedback system with parent-based communication techniques to
      improve teen driving. This will be the first rigorous evaluation of this technology, as well
      as the first to integrate a parent component. The in-vehicle video system records a video
      clip whenever an abrupt change in speed or steering direction is detected. These
      event-triggered video clips will be coded to identify safety-relevant events like driving
      errors and safety behaviors. A randomized group of parents will receive a weekly "driving
      report card" that summarizes driving errors, safety behaviors, and crashes or near-crashes
      recorded by the in-vehicle system. A second group of randomized parents will receive the
      report card plus training in communication strategies specifically designed to improve
      parent-teen communication about safe driving (based on Motivational Interviewing). Driving
      errors and safety behaviors will be compared to a control group that receives no feedback
      from the in-vehicle video system.

      The specific aims of this proposed project are:

      Specific Aim 1: Identify if giving parents feedback about their teen's driving performance
      and skills to better communicate with their teen driver increases the quality and quantity of
      parental involvement in teen driving.

      Hypothesis: The intervention groups will report more frequent and higher-quality
      communication about safe driving than the control group.

      Specific Aim 2: Identify if giving parents feedback about their teen's driving performance
      and skills to better communicate with their teen driver decreases the frequency of driving
      errors, unsafe driving behaviors, crashes, and near crashes.

      Hypothesis: The intervention groups will have significantly reduced risky driving events
      (driving errors, crashes, and near crashes) and significantly increased safety behaviors
      (such as safety belt use and driving without distractions) than the control group.
    

Intervention name(s): In-vehicle video feedback; Parent communication
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): An in-vehicle video system will record driving errors and safety behaviors. A light on the system will blink to let the participant know that a driving error has been recorded. Parents will receive a weekly report card.; Parents will receive instruction in teaching and effective communication about driving skills and driving safety. The intervention includes driving goals for teen drivers and parent communication strategies.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Road traffic safety