Random assignment trial shows that targeted interventions may reduce motor vehicle crashes in young drivers, suggesting a need for effective training programs.
Background Motor vehicle crashes and resultant fatalities remain disproportionately high among young drivers, with crash risk peaking immediately after licensure. Although graduated driver licensing laws (GDL) for young novice drivers have reduced such fatalities, driver error remains a leading cause; thus, prevention efforts that target improving skills in novice teen drivers before licensure are a strong candidate for reducing crash risk early in licensure. States with more comprehensive driver licensing laws that include mandated driver training before licensure in addition to GDL show lower crash rates post-licensure, but these effects were not determined through rigorous controlled studies of driver training. This paper describes the DRIVER study, a phase III randomized trial that tests the effectiveness of two different driver training programs in reducing young driver crash risk early in licensure in Pennsylvania, a state like many others that does not require formal training for young drivers. Methods Learner drivers age 16 and 17 years will be recruited and followed through the GDL learner phase and for six months post-licensure. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions: professional behind-the-wheel training (n = 333), online hazard training (n = 333), or an active control online vehicle and driver safety course, unrelated to hazard skills training (n = 333). The primary outcomes are on-road crash risk post-licensure (via kinematic hard braking events tracked through a smartphone-based app) and state license examination performance. Secondary outcomes include change in simulated driving performance from baseline to the time of license examination, self-reported and kinematically tracked risky driving behavior (e.g. cell phone use, speeding) and self-reported crashes. Participants will complete baseline surveys and cognitive assessments to determine potential moderating effects of cognitive maturation and risk-taking tendencies. Discussion Findings from the DRIVER study will provide insights into training effectiveness generally, and an evidence base for recommendations to policy makers, while also revealing for whom these interventions are less effective. Trial registration The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT06413927) in May 2024, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06413927 and last updated on August 11th, 2025. This protocol was developed per the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) Checklist.
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Elliott et al. (2025) studied this question.
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