Safety Impacts of Parent-Taught Driver Education
Driver education is essential for promoting safe driving practices, especially among teens, for whom motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death. This risk is often linked to developmental factors such as a tendency for risk-taking, peer influence, and limited driving experience. These characteristics necessitate driver education that not only imparts essential skills but also promotes safe driving behavior. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness and safety impact of Iowa’s Parent-Taught Driver Education (PDE) program. Since 2021, this program has allowed parents to fulfill driver education requirements for minors as an alternative to traditional driver education (TDE). With approximately 20% of Iowa minors participating in PDE, evaluating its outcomes relative to TDE in terms of safety and driving performance is crucial. The research team will use socio-demographic data, licensing records, crash data, and citations, to identify potential safety differences between PDE and TDE participants. Additionally, a voluntary survey and focus groups targeting PDE participants will offer insights into the program’s perceived strengths, challenges, and participant experiences. Advanced statistical techniques, including causal inference, spatial analysis, and text mining, will be employed to address the study objectives. The findings will contribute to roadway safety efforts and inform policy recommendations aimed at enhancing program implementation and safety for all road users.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $129,587.00
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Contract Numbers:
SPR-RE25(007)-8H-00
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Sponsor Organizations:
Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA United States 50010 -
Managing Organizations:
Iowa Department of Transportation
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA United States 50010 -
Project Managers:
Clute, Khyle
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Performing Organizations:
Cleveland State University
Euclid Avenue at 24th Street
Cleveland, Oh United States 44115 - Start Date: 20250401
- Expected Completion Date: 20260630
- Actual Completion Date: 0
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Crash rates; Driver education; Parents; Surveys
- Geographic Terms: Iowa
- Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01949495
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: SPR-RE25(007)-8H-00
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Mar 22 2025 5:36PM