Teenage Driving Safety Study: An Emergency Medicine-Trauma Collaborative Study

Completed

Conditions studied: Trauma

In brief

Teenage driving safety continues to be a major public health issue. Two factors have been found to contribute to a higher teenage driving accident rate than adults: lack of driving experience, and risky behaviors. Insufficient driving experience puts teenagers at a disadvantage in detecting and responding to hazards while driving. Factors contributing to distracted driving (a diversion in the driver's attention from the road) may include: talking or text messaging on a cell phone, applying makeup, having multiple passengers, listening to loud music, eating/drinking, smoking or reading while driving. This is a prospective study designed to evaluate the effect of an educational program on the risks associated with distracted driving for teenage drivers. The researchers will compare cell phone usage behaviors in Pennsylvania, where no cell phone laws are in place, and New Jersey, where cell phone laws exist, and will educate the beginner driver on the potential dangers associated with driving without a seat belt, substance use, and participating in distracting driving behaviors. Knowledge of state laws will also be assessed. Objectives 1. Educate participants on the potential dangers of distracted driving. 2. Evaluate the impact of the educational program on teenage distracted driving behaviors by obtaining and analyzing information from student surveys, state law quizzes, and anonymous observation, pre, post, and delayed post education. 3. Quantify distracted driving behavior in teenage driver's attending local area high schools by obtaining and analyzing information from student surveys, state law quizzes, and anonymous observation, pre, post, and delayed post education. 4. Qualify distracted driving behavior in teenage driver's attending local area high schools by obtaining and analyzing information from student surveys, anonymous observation, and anonymous voicemails, text messages, and/or emails pre, post, and delayed post education. Qualify distracted driving behavior in adults through anonymous observations near local area high schools. 6\. Compare teenage driving behaviors as reported and observed between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. 7\. Compare seat belt usage, driving behaviors, and substance use in the study population to the state and national averages pre and post education. 8\. Compare averages of student's knowledge of state driving laws pre and post education.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01402856

Run by

Lehigh Valley Hospital

People needed

3750

Starts

2007-11-01

Expected to finish

2012-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2016-10-14

Who can join

Age: 16 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Teenagers perceived to be students driving near school property.
• Teenagers perceived to be of driving age.
• Teens in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades attending Phillipsburg, Southern Lehigh, Freedom and Liberty High Schools.
• Any driver driving near school property, which is perceived to be older than of high school age.

You may not qualify if…

• Teenagers perceived as non-attendees of the nearby school.
• Teenagers perceived not to be of driving age.
• Teens not in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, or not attending Phillipsburg, Southern Lehigh, Freedom and Liberty High Schools.
• Any driver who does not meet the above criteria.

Where it is running

• Lehigh Valley Health Network — Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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