Investigation of the driving experience of a sample of Victorian learner drivers

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the driving experience of a small sample of learner drivers in Victoria, Australia. Participants (n = 110) kept a continuous logbook of their driving experience over the 2 years of the learner-driver period, including information about the distance and time of each driving trip, their level of confidence, and monthly data concerning the number of crashes, near misses, and unpleasant emotional interactions with their supervising driver. The analysis of these data suggests that learner drivers accrue relatively little driving experience and that they tend to obtain this experience in daytime, fair-weather driving. The implications of these results are discussed.