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New Zealand 'Going Solo' brochure

AA Driver Education Foundation, in partnership with researchers from Monash University and Waikato University, has adapted the Australian 'Going Solo' brochure to the New Zealand legal system and driving context. The New Zealand 'Going Solo' brochure will be of particular interest to parents who are training or helping to coach their children as learner drivers, particularly if they are nearly ready to obtain their Restricted Licence and drive 'solo'.

The brochure explains the level of crash risk new drivers face when they first drive 'solo'. It also sets out ways international research has determined that parents can actively help reduce the risks to their young driver.

'Going Solo' is valuable to parents and Restricted Licence drivers

There are three major reasons:

1. It aids understanding of the high risk situations faced by the Restricted Driver, and provides an opportunity to reduce these risks.

Crashes involving Restricted Licence drivers are a major road safety issue. The risk of Restricted Licence drivers having a crash decreases dramatically with experience gained over the first 6-12 months of driving solo.

Even if parents and young drivers are aware of this, they may not be aware of exactly what the high risk situations are for a young person just about to drive 'solo', and how that risk can be reduced.

2. It is a source of well-researched ideas for family discussion on how best to support a Restricted Licensed Driver's safe driving.

The over-representation of newly licensed drivers in crashes is evident world wide, which has led to a lot of interest and research into good practice in teaching safe driving.

Research has shown that Graduated Driver Licensing Systems (GDLS) are very effective in reducing young driver crashes. New Zealand has a Graduated Driver Licensing System.

GDLS phase in on-road driving conditions, so that beginners can acquire at least their first six months of driving experience in low risk driving situations. GDLS conditions gradually introduce the new driver to more complex, higher-risk driving situations, such as driving solo, including driving after dark until 10.00 pm.

The GDLS continues to restrict some types of driving - such as carrying passengers unless supervised - until a Full licence is gained.

3. It supports the Parent-Restricted Driver Agreement

Parents play an important role in promoting safe driving, and also ensuring that their son/daughter keeps to the GDLS conditions.

Research shows a link between parenting style and young driver crash risk. Low parental monitoring and control can be related to risky driving behaviours, traffic violations and crashes. Use of the 'Going Solo' brochure can support parents to reach an agreement with their young driver to drive according to GDLS conditions.

At the back of 'Going Solo' there is a sample agreement form for parents and Restricted Licence drivers to sign. It includes parental expectations for their young driver, and also the parents' own role in promoting the safety of their son/daughter as a Restricted Licence driver.

Contributors

Government agencies that are responsible for New Zealand road safety education initiatives contributed to the draft before it was published. The Ministry of Transport, in particular, gave valuable input to the statistical data and its presentation in the brochure. Several groups of parents in the Wellington community also added their suggestions.

The brochure is proudly sponsored by Mobil New Zealand and was launched by Hon Steven Joyce, Minister of Transport, on 29 April 2009.

Brochure a success in Australia

The Going Solo brochure sponsored by ExxonMobil and Esso Mobil in Australia is regarded as a success by academics who are researching road safety, and by many parents who have used it across Australia and taken part in evaluation of the Australian version.

For example, Australian driving instructors commented that they now have a 'concrete' discussion point to use in discussion with the parents/driving supervisors of learner drivers - rather than taking an ad hoc approach to pointing out how parents could help their learner drivers.

Parents have contributed comments such as: 'My husband and I can sleep easy now knowing our son won't drive while tired and us waiting up for him to come home. He's changed his behaviour based on the booklet - as it was there in black and white about the risk of fatigue. We now have it on the kitchen bench for our L-plate daughter'.