The quality of driver training probably has a strong effect on traffic safety. A well organized driver training curriculum involves training in a wide range of traffic scenarios that include various types of roads, consistent feedback on errors, emphasis on visual scanning strategies and traffic rules and consistent monitoring of progress in skill acquisition. Training in a car driving simulator can be of great help in this.
The International Commision for Driver Testing of the EU has made a report about driver training and traffic safety education. As quoted from that report:
"At present young persons aged 18 to 25 account for 19 % of road deaths in the European Union, while they represent 10 % of the population. Similarly, young car drivers aged 18 to 25 account for 27 % of the total number of car drivers killed. These figures demonstrate the significance of youth in road fatalities, highlighting the need for road safety action targeted particularly at this population."
"Young persons aged 18 to 25 account for a high proportion of road deaths. They are overrepresented compared to other age groups. However, statistics on the number of deaths since 1991 show a gradual decrease of the share of young people. This trend is partly due to the introduction and improvement of training programmes."
"Driver training is an important way to influence the behaviour of young drivers, given that young people have more access to cars in EU countries, and are increasingly likely to pass the driving test. It is not easy to isolate the impact of training on a country’s road safety performance. Indeed, as new measures are often implemented together, their effects are combined and it is difficult to analyse their impact independently. In addition, training has a long-term impact, which makes assessment difficult, unlike other types of action such as enforcement action. Nevertheless, statistics on the number of deaths per million inhabitants in the various Member States shows that the countries with the best results in the EU are those that also have a widespread road safety culture and a long experience in training.This is especially true for UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Finland, France, Spain, Denmark and Luxembourg. Most of these countries have set up structured detailed training programmes (see next figure: Fatalities by population in 2008). .... Conversely the countries whose systems are the least effective are those in which the number of deaths per million inhabitants is higher than the European average."
In addition to this, countries with lower traffic fatalities also have better roads and enforcement practices compared to most countries with higher accident rates. However, driver training definitely appears to play a strong role as well. A higher quality of driver training will most likely have a favourable effect on traffic safety.
This relation can also be seen in the following figure (based on data from the WHO, source Wikipedia), that shows the number of traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year in different countries by continent. In Western European countries with higher quality driver training and higher standards of driver testing, traffic safety is substantially better compared to countries where formal driver training is less well organized.
Figure 2. Number of traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year.
The car driving simulator as a training tool can be of great help in improving the skill level for large groups of people, especially in countries where driver training standards are low. Driving simulators will also help governments in to fullfil large training needs, for example in countries where new groups enter the driver training market, as is the case in Saudi Arabia. Although simulator sare often frowned at by driving instructos, because of the incidence of simulator sickness, it is recommended to use these training tools more frequently.
The International Commision for Driver Testing of the EU has made a report about driver training and traffic safety education. As quoted from that report:
"At present young persons aged 18 to 25 account for 19 % of road deaths in the European Union, while they represent 10 % of the population. Similarly, young car drivers aged 18 to 25 account for 27 % of the total number of car drivers killed. These figures demonstrate the significance of youth in road fatalities, highlighting the need for road safety action targeted particularly at this population."
"Young persons aged 18 to 25 account for a high proportion of road deaths. They are overrepresented compared to other age groups. However, statistics on the number of deaths since 1991 show a gradual decrease of the share of young people. This trend is partly due to the introduction and improvement of training programmes."
"Driver training is an important way to influence the behaviour of young drivers, given that young people have more access to cars in EU countries, and are increasingly likely to pass the driving test. It is not easy to isolate the impact of training on a country’s road safety performance. Indeed, as new measures are often implemented together, their effects are combined and it is difficult to analyse their impact independently. In addition, training has a long-term impact, which makes assessment difficult, unlike other types of action such as enforcement action. Nevertheless, statistics on the number of deaths per million inhabitants in the various Member States shows that the countries with the best results in the EU are those that also have a widespread road safety culture and a long experience in training.This is especially true for UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Finland, France, Spain, Denmark and Luxembourg. Most of these countries have set up structured detailed training programmes (see next figure: Fatalities by population in 2008). .... Conversely the countries whose systems are the least effective are those in which the number of deaths per million inhabitants is higher than the European average."
In addition to this, countries with lower traffic fatalities also have better roads and enforcement practices compared to most countries with higher accident rates. However, driver training definitely appears to play a strong role as well. A higher quality of driver training will most likely have a favourable effect on traffic safety.
This relation can also be seen in the following figure (based on data from the WHO, source Wikipedia), that shows the number of traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year in different countries by continent. In Western European countries with higher quality driver training and higher standards of driver testing, traffic safety is substantially better compared to countries where formal driver training is less well organized.
Figure 2. Number of traffic deaths per 100,000 inhabitants per year.
The car driving simulator as a training tool can be of great help in improving the skill level for large groups of people, especially in countries where driver training standards are low. Driving simulators will also help governments in to fullfil large training needs, for example in countries where new groups enter the driver training market, as is the case in Saudi Arabia. Although simulator sare often frowned at by driving instructos, because of the incidence of simulator sickness, it is recommended to use these training tools more frequently.
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