Restrictions during the Intermediate Licensing Phase: A Content Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v10i4.1377Keywords:
Intermediate Licensing, Driving Restrictions, Content Analysis, Teenage Drivers, Road SafetyAbstract
Introduction: This study analyzed the content of intermediate licensing restrictions of all 50 US states and examined the variation in strictness and language of four restriction categories: minimum age, nighttime driving restrictions, passenger restrictions, and traffic violation penalties.
Methods: We analyzed state intermediate licensing restrictions using data from four online sources (AAA Guide to Teen Driver Safety, National Conference of State Legislatures, Teen Driving Laws, and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). Two trained coders independently coded the content of the restrictions, identified four restricted categories and subthemes for each category, and scored each subtheme from 0 to 2, with a higher score indicating a stricter restriction. Direct quotes from state laws were identified to support each subtheme.
Results: All 50 states included a minimum age for obtaining an intermediate license. Of 50 states, 49 (98.0%) contained nighttime driving restrictions, 46 (92.0%) contained passenger restrictions, and 43 (86.0%) included traffic violation penalties. Variations existed in the minimum age for an intermediate license and length required in the learner permit phase, the starting time and length of the nighttime driving restrictions, the number and age of passengers in passenger restrictions, the minimum time the driver needs to be violation-free before obtaining a full license, and the type and severity of traffic violation penalties.
Conclusions: Although all states have intermediate licensing restrictions, variations exist in the strictness and language of these restrictions. Future research should assess how these variations impact driving safety among teens when they first start driving unsupervised.
Downloads
Metrics
References or Bibliography
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Keys 2 Drive: The AAA Guide to Teen Driver Safety. Retrieved July from https://teendriving.aaa.com/
Bingham, C. R., Shope, J. T., & Raghunathan, T. (2006). Patterns of traffic offenses from adolescent licensure into early young adulthood. J Adolesc Health, 39(1), 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.10.002
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), & National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC). (July 2020). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved April 20 from https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
Conner, K. A., & Smith, G. A. (2017). An evaluation of the effect of Ohio's graduated driver licensing law on motor vehicle crashes and crash outcomes involving drivers 16 to 20 years of age. Traffic Inj Prev, 18(4), 344-350. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2016.1209493
Curry, A. E., Pfeiffer, M. R., & Elliott, M. R. (2017). Compliance With and Enforcement of Graduated Driver Licensing Restrictions. Am J Prev Med, 52(1), 47-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.08.024
DePesa, C., Raybould, T., Hurwitz, S., Lee, J., Gervasini, A., Velmahos, G. C., Masiakos, P. T., & Kaafarani, H. M. A. (2017). The impact of the 2007 graduated driver licensing law in Massachusetts on the rate of citations and licensing in teenage drivers. J Safety Res, 61, 199-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2017.02.012
Ekeh, A. P., Hamilton, S. B., Demko, D., & McCarthy, M. C. (2008). The effect of a trauma center-based intervention program on recidivism among adolescent driving offenders. J Trauma, 65(5), 1117-1120; discussion 1120-1111. https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e318187cfe3
Fell, J. C., Jones, K., Romano, E., & Voas, R. (2011). An evaluation of graduated driver licensing effects on fatal crash involvements of young drivers in the United States. Traffic Inj Prev, 12(5), 423-431. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2011.588296
Fell, J. C., Todd, M., & Voas, R. B. (2011). A national evaluation of the nighttime and passenger restriction components of graduated driver licensing. J Safety Res, 42(4), 283-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2011.06.001
Fleming, S. A. (2010). Teen Driver Safety: Additional Research Could Help States Strengthen Graduated Driver Licensing Systems. Report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Its Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, House of Representatives. GAO-10-544 (
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHSa). Fatality Facts 2019 Teenagers. Retrieved April 20 from https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHSb). Graduated Licensing Laws by State. Retrieved April 20 from https://www.iihs.org/topics/teenagers/graduated-licensing-laws-table
Jiang, X., & Lyles, R. W. (2011). Exposure-based assessment of the effectiveness of Michigan’s graduated driver licensing nighttime driving restriction. Safety Science, 49(3), 484-490. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2010.11.006
Kirley, B. B., Feller, A., Braver, E., & Langenberg, P. (2008). Does the Maryland graduated driver licensing law affect both 16-year-old drivers and those who share the road with them? J Safety Res, 39(3), 295-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2007.12.005
Kolb, S. M. (2012). Grounded theory and the constant comparative method : valid research strategies for educators. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, 3(1), 83-86. https://doi.org/doi:10.10520/EJC135409
Lin, M. L., & Fearn, K. T. (2003). The provisional license: nighttime and passenger restrictions--a literature review. J Safety Res, 34(1), 51-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-4375(02)00081-6
Manno, M., Maranda, L., Rook, A., Hirschfeld, R., & Hirsh, M. (2012). The reality of teenage driving: the results of a driving educational experience for teens in the juvenile court system. J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 73(4 Suppl 3), S267-272. https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0b013e31826b00f4
Masten, S. V., Foss, R. D., & Marshall, S. W. (2011). Graduated driver licensing and fatal crashes involving 16- to 19-year-old drivers. Jama, 306(10), 1098-1103. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2011.1277
Masten, S. V., Foss, R. D., & Marshall, S. W. (2013). Graduated driver licensing program component calibrations and their association with fatal crash involvement. Accid Anal Prev, 57, 105-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2013.04.013
McCartt, A. T., Shabanova, V. I., & Leaf, W. A. (2003). Driving experience, crashes and traffic citations of teenage beginning drivers. Accid Anal Prev, 35(3), 311-320. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0001-4575(02)00006-4
McCartt, A. T., Teoh, E. R., Fields, M., Braitman, K. A., & Hellinga, L. A. (2010). Graduated licensing laws and fatal crashes of teenage drivers: a national study. Traffic Inj Prev, 11(3), 240-248. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389580903578854
McKnight, A. J., & Peck, R. C. (2002). Graduated driver licensing: what works? Inj Prev, 8 Suppl 2(Suppl 2), ii32-36; discussion ii36-38. https://doi.org/10.1136/ip.8.suppl_2.ii32
McKnight, A. J., & Peck, R. C. (2003). Graduated driver licensing and safer driving. J Safety Res, 34(1), 85-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-4375(02)00084-1
Morrisey, M. A., Grabowski, D. C., Dee, T. S., & Campbell, C. (2006). The strength of graduated drivers license programs and fatalities among teen drivers and passengers. Accid Anal Prev, 38(1), 135-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2005.08.003
NOLO. Teen Driving Laws. Retrieved April 20 from https://www.drivinglaws.org/topics/teen-driving-laws
Poszich, A. (2016). The Perception of Young Drivers and Their Understanding of Graduated Drivers Licensing, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources].
Pressley, J. C., Addison, D., Dawson, P., & Nelson, S. S. (2015). Graduated driver license compliant teens involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes. J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 79(3 Suppl 1), S33-41. https://doi.org/10.1097/ta.0000000000000794
Shell, D. F., Newman, I. M., Córdova-Cazar, A. L., & Heese, J. M. (2015). Driver education and teen crashes and traffic violations in the first two years of driving in a graduated licensing system. Accid Anal Prev, 82, 45-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2015.05.011
Shope, J. T. (2007). Graduated driver licensing: review of evaluation results since 2002. J Safety Res, 38(2), 165-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2007.02.004
Shope, J. T., Molnar, L. J., Elliott, M. R., & Waller, P. F. (2001). Graduated driver licensing in Michigan: early impact on motor vehicle crashes among 16-year-old drivers. Jama, 286(13), 1593-1598. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.286.13.1593
Simons-Morton, B., Hartos, J. L., Leaf, W. A., & Preusser, D. F. (2006). Do recommended driving limits affect teen-reported traffic violations and crashes during the first 12 months of independent driving? Traffic Inj Prev, 7(3), 238-247. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389580600668842
State Penalties for Graduated Driver's License Violations (2011). National Conference of State Legislatures.
Vardaki, S., & Yannis, G. (2013). Investigating the self-reported behavior of drivers and their attitudes to traffic violations. J Safety Res, 46, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2013.03.001
Waller, P. F., Elliott, M. R., Shope, J. T., Raghunathan, T. E., & Little, R. J. (2001). Changes in young adult offense and crash patterns over time. Accid Anal Prev, 33(1), 117-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0001-4575(00)00022-1
Williams, A. F. (2017). Graduated driver licensing (GDL) in the United States in 2016: A literature review and commentary. J Safety Res, 63, 29-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2017.08.010
Williams, A. F., McCartt, A. T., & Sims, L. B. (2016). History and current status of state graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws in the United States. J Safety Res, 56, 9-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2015.11.006
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2021 Nicole Asa, Amanda Hautmann, Lindsay Sullivan, Robyn Feiss, Gary A. Smith, Jingzhen Yang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright holder(s) granted JSR a perpetual, non-exclusive license to distriute & display this article.
