Private Supervisors of Learner Drivers and Queensland’s Graduated DriverLicensing System: How Important Are They?

Lyndel BatesProfessor Barry Watson

Dr Mark King

Aim

Document the experiences of the supervisors of Queensland learner drivers after the changes made to the graduated driver licensing system in mid-2007

Key changes

• Minimum age reduced from 16.5 to 16 years

• Must obtain 100 hours of supervised practice

• 1 hour of professional instruction equals 3 hours of private supervision (up to 10 hours)

Method

• Combination of convenience and snowball

• 228 participants

• Internet survey

• Open between July 2009 and May 2010

• Approximately 15-20 minutes to complete

Supervisors

• Gender: 46.9% male, 53.1% female

• Age: M = 40.22, sd = 11.66

• Relationship:– Mother: 34.2%– Father: 16.7%– Stepmother: 3.1%– Stepfather: 2.2%– Other: 43.9%

Primary supervisorWere you the primary supervisor for this person?

• Total: Yes 63.2%, No 36.8%

• Parents: Yes 70.7%, No 29.3%

• Non parents: Yes 55.4%, No 44.6%

• Statistically significant:

• X2(1) = 5.76, p = .02, φ = .16

No. of learnersHow many learners have you supervised in the past 12 months?

• Total: M = 1.44, sd = .96

• Parents: M = 1.47, sd = 1.19

• Non parents: M = 1.41, sd = .65

• Not statistically significant:

t (226) = .50, p = .62

No. of hoursApproximately, how many hours did you supervise the learner

for?

• Total: M = 79.64, sd = 89.90

• Parents: M = 68.59, sd = 82.37

• Non parents: M = 91.08, sd = 96.12

• Not statistically significant:

t (226) = - 1.90, p = .06

Record in logbookWas the practice time recorded in a logbook?

• Statistically significant:

X2(3) = 12.08, p = .01, φ = .23

Parent (%) Non parent Total (%)

All practice 59 (50.9) 34 (30.4) 93 (40.8)

Most practice 44 (37.9) 51 (45.5) 95 (41.7)

Some practice 9 (7.8) 19 (17.0) 28 (12.3)

No practice 4 (3.4) 8 (7.1) 12 (5.3)

Accurate logbookHow accurate were the hours in your learner’s logbook?

• Statistically significant:

X2(2) = 13.1, p = .001, φ = .24

Parent (%) Non parent (%) Total (%)

Not accurate 11 (9.5) 19 (17) 30 (13.2)

Neutral 20 (17.2) 37 (33) 57 (25)

Accurate 85 (73.3) 56 (50) 141 (61.8)

Professional instructorDid your learner spend any time with a professional instructor?

• Total: Yes 82.5%, No 17.5%

• Parents: Yes 83.6%, No 16.4%

• Non parents: Yes 81.3%, No 18.8%

• Not statistically significant:

X2(1) = .22, p = .64, φ = .03

GuidanceDid you receive guidance from anywhere regarding the

supervision of learner drivers?

• Not statistically significant:

X2(1) = 1.74, p = .19, φ = .09Parent (%) Non parent (%) Total (%)

Friends 27 (23.3) 34 (30.4) 61 (26.8)

Gov. website 15 (12.9) 16 (14.3) 31 (13.6)

Professional driving instructor

23 (19.8) 25 (22.3) 48 (21.1)

No advice 52 (44.8) 60 (53.6) 112 (49.1)

Parent (%) Non parent (%) Total (%)

Yes 64 (55.2) 52 (46.4) 116 (50.9)

No 52 (44.8) 60 (53.6) 112 (49.1)

Conclusions

• Parents more likely to be primary supervisor

• Private supervisors provide significant amount of supervised practice

• Seek to record practice accurately and honestly

• Majority of learners have professional lessons as well

Conclusions (2)

• Supervisors report that majority of learners have professional lessons as well

• Approximately ½ of supervisors did not seek advice

• Some sought advice from friends, government website or professional driving instructors

Conclusions (3)

• GDL systems implicitly encourage the involvement of parents and other supervisors

• Other non-parental supervisors appear to play a significant role

• Need to more overtly encourage and support private supervisors including non-parents