South Australia's Driver Intervention Program: Participant characteristics, best practice discussion and literature review

Abstract

The Driver Intervention Program (DIP) is a 90-minute interactive small group workshop that aims to address the over representation of young drivers in crashes by confronting them with the potential risk and consequences of road trauma. Any driver aged 25 years and under who has breached the conditions of their South Australian Learner's Permit or Provisional Licence, and has been subsequently disqualified from driving, is required to attend. In the present report, the operation, content and program delivery of the DIP was compared to programs elsewhere that have similar aims. Methodological limitations are acknowledged. Results are given of a survey of personality characteristics and driving related attitudes of a sample of DIP participants, and a comparison is made with those of other young South Australian drivers (University students). DIP participants were found to be personally well adjusted and not very different from the students. However, there were differences on some measures related to aggression. Finally, key findings from the literature review and the psychological profile of DIP participants are brought together and discussed in terms of potential future directions for the DIP