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A cohort study of 20,822 young drivers: the DRIVE study methods and population
R Q Ivers1, S J Blows, M R Stevenson
1The George Institute for International Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. rivers@george.org.au
Summary
The DRIVE Study recruited over 20,000 young drivers to examine risk factors for serious injury and death. The diverse participant pool shows significant variation in behaviors like hazardous drinking and psychological distress, enabling targeted intervention research.
Area of Science:
- Road safety research
- Young driver behavior
- Injury prevention
Background:
- Research is needed to link young driver risk factors to severe outcomes.
- The DRIVE Study was established to address this gap.
- This paper details the study's methods and recruited population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the DRIVE Study methods.
- To describe the recruited young driver population.
- To demonstrate heterogeneity in risk factors among young drivers.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study of 17-24 year old provisional license holders in New South Wales, Australia.
- Online or mailed questionnaire collecting data on training, risk perception, behavior, sensation-seeking, and mental health.
- Consent for prospective data linkage to licensing, crash, and injury databases.
Main Results:
- 20,822 drivers completed the baseline questionnaire.
- Significant variation in risk factors observed: nearly 40% reported hazardous alcohol consumption, 32% high psychological distress.
- Participants reported an average of 67.3 hours of supervised training.
Conclusions:
- The DRIVE Study employs a robust design to minimize outcome data bias.
- Baseline data reveal substantial heterogeneity in risk factors within the young driver population.
- Prospective data linkage will enable the development of targeted interventions for young drivers.
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