German novice driver survey 2014: 17-year old participants and 18-year old non-participants in the Accompanied Driving scheme

Young novice drivers are particularly prone to accidents in the period after obtaining their driving licence; participation in accompanied driving from the age of 17 (BF17) reduces the risk. In a wide-ranging survey of new drivers, the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) examined the experiences and behaviour of those involved in BF17 and compared them with those of 18-year-old new drivers. The aim was to identify approaches for further optimisation of the Accompanied Driving measure.

More than 80 percent of 17-year-olds recommend accompanied driving unreservedly, the rest “by and large”. The positive effects on the subjective perception of safety as well as on the driving experience during the accompanying period were emphasized. For the further development of accompanied driving, the existing knowledge deficit with regard to the effective model is of great importance. Target group-oriented campaigns should therefore strengthen safety communication. The results of the study should be taken into account when considering the further development of driving practice-oriented approaches to measures.