Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

1. Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation 6 October 2010 Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation Presenter: Dr Sarah J Jones

2. Outline A bit about advocacy What the project is What I’ve done Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

3. Advocacy and Public Health Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Public Health • Improving the health of the population • Advocacy a fundamental part of this process, combining both the ‘science’ and ‘art’ elements • The exact definition and the form that it takes can vary considerably • We can be advocating for • Small or large numbers of people • Health services, health behaviour change, for environmental and policy change • Legislative change

4. Muir Gray’s Guide to Political Activism Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation One person is a crank Two people are a pressure group Three people are public opinion Be arrested…

5. Young Driver Crashes Background and Context Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

6. Background One in five newly qualified drivers in the UK are involved in an accident within 6 months of taking their test (DT, 2008). 4 people per day in the UK are killed or seriously injured in accidents involving young drivers (YD) YD over represented in crash statistics Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

7. Recent examples Ebbw Vale, November 2006 18 year old, passed his test 3 days earlier 9.20pm, driving 5 other teenagers in a Vauxhall Corsa 4 girls in back of car killed, front seat passenger injured At his trial, defendant reported to be “showing off” and “pressured into driving passengers” Ogmore, November 2009 At 11pm, three 17 year old males were in a Suzuki Swift. The driver lost control of the car as he drove through a puddle Two died at the scene and the third was seriously injured and admitted to hospital Aberystwyth, August 2010 12.30am, 5 young people in a car going home from a night out Car was found in lake Two teenagers died, 16 year old girl, 18 year old boy, 21 year old driver arrested Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

8. Wales - Crash profile Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

9. Crash circumstances Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

10. Current UK position ‘Learning to Drive’ consultation 2008/09 Need to address new / young driver crash problem Government solution Improved training and testing Reform learning to drive A more realistic overall driving test Provide a wider range of opportunities for drivers to develop skills to create a culture of lifelong learning and driver development This will Reduce crashes Increase employer confidence in the driving test Reduce insurance costs Education and incentives work better than regulation and restriction Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

11. Current UK position (2) Update theory test by adding case studies Improve hazard perception test and explore swapping film clips for 3D animation Practical test currently too much on ability to control car safely, at expense of other skills around driving unsupervised Add independent driving / route finding Add situational judgement Review number of special manoeuvres tested Split theory and practical into modules Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

12. Current UK position (3) More efficient and effective learning More driving related issues in school Pass Plus – 6 1hr lessons post test Evidence supporting this position Data from a very small cohort study Average learner has 50 hours of lessons Demographic profile reflects population, rather than learning to drive population Average young learner has 30 hours of lessons Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

13. Thoughts on the UK Government position… No evidence of reductions in crash rates as a result of enhanced on-road driver-training programmes and high school driver education In 2001, review of DSA driver education the programme leads to early licensing, no evidence of reduced crash involvement education may actually increase the proportion of teenagers involved in crashes The authors wrote to the UK government asking that the programme be stopped. Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

14. Identify an alternative Graduated Driver Licensing Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

15. What is GDL? Fundamental principle new drivers have the opportunity to gain experience under conditions that decrease risk No ‘rules’ on exact structure Adds an ‘intermediate phase’ between learner and full licence Various ‘permissions’ granted in intermediate phase; permission not given for night time driving, carrying passengers, drinking any alcohol Does it work? 4 to 60% decrease in casualties among newly qualified drivers (different programmes in different countries) Ontario – 62% decrease in midnight to 5am crashes California – 40% decrease in teen passenger deaths / injuries Parents feel more ‘empowered’ Teens feel less ‘pressured’ into driving in situations that they are not comfortable with Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

16. UK Government and GDL Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Little or no interest • DfT developed models based on Cohort II • Assumptions in the model are questionable • No peer review of process • Education found to be most cost effective • Other approaches to modelling said to be welcomed… • All approaches to DfT have so far been met with “our model says” and “we’re not convinced by the evidence for GDL”

17. UK Government on GDL Age for learning to drive is often lower where GDL works GDL does not reduce insurance premiums GDL is often associated with stricter enforcement of existing traffic laws The benefits of GDL cannot be separated from those of improved car safety Night time and passenger restrictions have no significant effects Enforcement would be difficult, oppressive, with compliance unlikely and would undermine efforts to build a road safety culture Police have competing priorities Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

18. UK Government on GDL (2) A Northern Ireland scheme has been inconclusive and widely flouted Restrictions have to be lifted at some point Older new drivers would be adversely effected and that exemptions would aggravate the difficulties with enforcement Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

19. Making a case for GDL Stage 1:- Data…. Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

20. With a little guidance from experts… Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

21. Casualty savings Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

22. Making a case for GDL Stage 2: - Test the water… Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

23. Where ? Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation 16th Public Health Training conference Knowledgeable audience asking difficult questions

24. Making a case for GDL Stage 3:- Start to identify other audiences Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

25. Where? Meryl James, WAG Head of Road Safety Wales Road Safety Conference 120 road safety professionals 2nd UK and Ireland Injury Conference Ann Jones, AM Invited me to pass on more information Wales STOC Paper submitted to BMJ Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

26. Making a case for GDL Stage 4:- Think ‘bigger’, think ‘snowball’ effect, look out for opportunities to raise the profile of the issue Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

27. How? Produced data for England, Scotland, GB David Stone, Paediatrician, Glasgow Encourage action in Wales and Scotland GDL is reserved to Westminster Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

28. Challenge the policy makers Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation Department for Transport DVLA Driving Standards Agency (DSA)

29. Use the news… Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

30. Political Roger Williams, MP, Brecon and Radnor Meeting in November 2009 Raised the issue with Lord Adonis Arranged a meeting with other MPs Ann Jones, AM, Vale of Clwyd Initial letter and follow up meeting Raising the issue with Ieuan Wyn Jones Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

31. Have your photo taken with some MPs Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

32. But not too close to a General Election…. Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

33. Political (2) Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Roger Williams tabled an Early Day Motion on GDL • 15 MPs signed it • Re-elected in May 2010 • June 2010 • Letter sent to Transport Minister • New EDM tabled

34. Killer Slide… Competition run by PH Futures, through Informing Healthier Choices “A call to action” Criteria A clear, focused message that is easy to understand Pleasing to the eye Has clear potential to help a decision be made Demonstrates 1+ PH Competency Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

35. Now Learner period; un-restricted duration Un-restricted full licence • 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers crash within 6 months of obtaining their licence. • Most newly qualified drivers are aged under 25. • 4 people per day are killed or seriously injured in crashes involving young drivers in the UK Minimum length learner period Fixed term, restricted intermediate period – no night time driving, no teen passengers, no alcohol Graduated driver licensing could save 15 lives a year in Wales, prevent 1000 casualties and save the Welsh economy £56M per year Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation With Graduated Driver Licensing Dr Sarah J Jones, jonessj3@cf.ac.uk

36. Now Learner period; un-restricted duration Un-restricted full licence • 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers crash within 6 months of obtaining their licence. • Most newly qualified drivers are aged under 25. • 4 people per day are killed or seriously injured in crashes involving young drivers in the UK Minimum length learner period Fixed term, restricted intermediate period – no night time driving, no teen passengers, no alcohol Graduated driver licensing could save 236 lives a year in Great Britain, prevent 14,000 casualties and save the GB economy £889M per year With Graduated Driver Licensing Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation Dr Sarah J Jones, jonessj3@cf.ac.uk

37. Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Concentrated thought • Acts as ‘bait’ with ‘cold contacts’ • Also appears on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/PHFutures

38. Have your photo taken with Muir Gray Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation

39. Other points Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Keep a log of who you’ve spoken to or emailed and their responses • Helps with following-up • Good motivator when knock backs occur • Useful at appraisal time • Set up a ‘mailing list’ and update people with where you’re at • Not just the people you’re in contact with, but the people they are in contact with • Talk to ‘Comms’ people about contact with the media

40. Knock Backs Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Wales STOC very enthusiastic • UK STOC less so • Fell at the last BMJ hurdle • Concerns around liberty and restrictions on mobility and enforcement

41. What happened next? Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Meeting with Powys CSP – June 2010 • Meeting with Department for Transport – June 2010 • Awaiting decision by Injury Prevention • Safety 2010 • Press release • Following up previous contacts

42. Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future” John F Kennedy

43. Acknowledgements Advocating for change in driver licensing legislation • Dot Begg, IPRU, University of Otago, NZ • Stephen Palmer • Ronan Lyons • Brendan Mason