Citation

Bates L, Larue GS, Filtness AJ, Hawkins A. J. Australas. Coll. Road Saf. 2019; 30(4): 26-40.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Australasian College of Road Safety)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

This paper examines simulators to deliver driver education programs for two very different populations (a) those who have specific impairments or intellectual disabilities and (b) those who may suffer disadvantage associated with their ethnicity. To do this we addressed two research questions (a) What role, if any, can simulation play as an education and/or training intervention for individuals disadvantaged because of individually-orientated concerns such as intellectual impairment or ADHD? (b) What role, if any, can simulation play as an education and/or training intervention for those who are disadvantaged because of their indigenous ethnicity? Technological developments have enabled the incorporation of driving simulators into driver education programs. A review of major databases using keywords identified 2,420 records. After duplicates were removed and screening occurred, thirteen studies were included in the review. The disadvantaged populations for the driver education initiatives that incorporated a simulator were very specific (e.g. intellectual disabilities) with no interventions for those disadvantaged because of ethnicity. A second search identified six papers that discussed interventions for indigenous populations. None of these interventions had a simulator component. The review highlights the need for high quality empirical research in the area of simulators, driver education and disadvantaged groups in order to inform policy development within this area. While there are some preliminary results indicating potential benefits, there is limited research evidence for an initiative of this type making it difficult to develop evidence based policy and practice. Therefore, when these types of initiatives are introduced, they need to be evaluated.

Key Findings
• Simulators are a tool used to deliver driver education programs rather than being driver education in itself.
• There is no guidance within the literature regarding which driving skills should be targeted with the simulator, the length of this intervention or how it should be incorporated within programs for disadvantaged groups.
• A driver education program for indigenous populations that incorporates a driving simulator could not be found within the literature.
• There is a need for more research within this area.

Keywords
driver education and training, novice drivers, driver simulators, young drivers, teen drivers, indigenous

Corresponding Author:
Lyndel Bates, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt Campus, 175 Messines Ridge Road, Mt Gravatt, QLD 4122, Australia, L.Bates@griffith.edu.au, 61 7 3735 1429

Language: en