Publication Details

An evaluation of North Carolina's multi-vehicle range program in driver education: A comparison of driving histories of range and non-range students

Type: Paper

Author(s): Council, Forrest M.; Roper, R. B.; Sadof, M. G.

Pages: 60

Publisher: UNC Highway Safety Research Center

Url: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED126232.pdf

Publication Date: Aug-1975

Address: Chapel Hill, NC

Abstract: Since 1969, the Department of Public Instruction has been in the process of expanding its driver education program. As part of this expansion, eighteen multi-vehicle range laboratories have been put into operation. This report deals with the evaluation of these driving ranges and their effectiveness as a tool in the driver education system. In this evaluation, the accident experience of two samples of students were compared--those taking training on the range facilities and those receiving the standard "30 and 6" training course. Categorical analysis of the data indicate no significance differences between the range group and the control group in terms of accident involvement. In examining the mean number of accidents and violations per student in various demographic subsets of the sample, any slight differences noted favored the control group--i.e., the control subsets had fewer accidents and violations. There were, however, no clearcut significant differences in these accident and violation histories. Thus, under the assumption of equal training effects, an attempt at cost effectiveness analysis was made. This analysis of the costs involved in the two types of training indicated that the cost per student is higher in the range program. The authors have not been able to find a change in the driving behavior of range trained students, or a decrease in the cost per student. Limitations of the sample data are included as well as the author's recommendations for up-operating and strengthening the program.