Young drivers are disproportionately represented in road crash statistics. The driver group aged 16 to 20 has the highest casualty rate of all age groups at 131 serious casualties per 100,000 population and drivers aged 21 to 25 have the second highest rate at 101 serious casualties per 100,000 population.
The Driver Intervention Program aims to help young drivers survive on our roads. It has been designed specifically for young drivers due to their far higher rates of road crash fatalities and casualties, compared to those of any other age group. Research shows that young drivers are also more likely to have caused the crash.
Rationale
Over 25,500 young offenders have participated in South Australia’s Driver Intervention Program (DIP) since it was launched in 1994.
Research has shown that several factors influence young drivers more than other age groups. They include:
- the idea that ‘it can’t happen to me’
- experimentation and risk taking, including speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs
- over confidence in driving ability coupled with inexperience
- peer group pressure
- lack of concentration.
Attendance at a DIP workshop gives participants the opportunity to discuss and learn more about these issues in relation to their own driver behaviour.
Driver Intervention Program (DIP)
- participation in the DIP is offered to any driver aged 25 years or under whose learner’s permit or provisional licence has been disqualified
- it consists of one 90 minute interactive workshop
- they are held on most Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings throughout the year
- DIP workshops are held at various venues in Adelaide and in country towns and rural areas. Public transport is available for travel to most urban venues
- to ensure your place in a DIP workshop, you must pay a fee to cover the cost of the workshop before you book in to attend. Details of how and where you can do this are in the notice informing you to attend
- invited participants must make a booking to attend a DIP workshop within 6 months of receiving their first notice. Failure to attend is an offence and attracts a maximum penalty of $125.
| Participants take part in small group discussions about: |
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The relationship between youth and crash involvement |
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Lifestyle issues which relate to high levels of young driver crash involvement e.g. speed, alcohol and drug use, low self esteem, peer group pressure |
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Reality and consequences of crashes |
Initiatives for the Driver Intervention Program
Research report
South Australia’s Driver Intervention Program: Participant characteristics, best practice discussion and literature review (2006)
Contact
Driver Intervention Program
Phone 08 8362 7349
Fax 08 8363 6122
9.30 – 4.30 Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)