In-Vehicle Feedback With or Without Parent Communication Training and Teenage Driving Behaviors

Is in-vehicle and smartphone-based driving feedback, alone or combined with parent training, effective in reducing risky driving among teenagers with traffic violations?In a randomized clinical trial of 240 parent-teenager dyads after a teenager (aged 16-17 years) traffic violation, combining in-vehicle and smartphone-based driving feedback with parent training significantly reduced the incidence rate of risky driving events and the proportion of miles driven while speeding. Feedback alone did not significantly reduce risky driving but did reduce miles driven while speeding.This study suggests that sustained parental involvement, supported by in-vehicle technology, is important for reinforcing safe driving as teenagers transition to independent driving.

Corresponding Author: Jingzhen Yang, PhD, MPH, Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Dr, RB3.5.231, Columbus, OH 43205 (ginger.yang@nationwidechildrens.org).

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