Young adults are consistently over-represented among those injured or killed in traffic accidents. Risky driving behaviours such as speeding, driving when fatigued, and driving under the influence of alcohol are often implicated in these crashes.

 In an effort to shed light on these road safety problems, considerable research has been devoted to examining the driving patterns and behaviours of this age group, as well as the situational, structural and legal factors that influence their driving behaviour.

However, much less is known about the earlier circumstances or factors in young drivers’ lives that may have influenced their current driving behaviour. This report presents findings from the ATP Young Drivers Study – a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) of Victoria.

The study used data gathered over the course of the Australian Temperament Project (ATP)to identify factors associated with, and pathways to, three different types of problematic driving behaviour (risky driving, crash involvement and speeding offences) among a large sample of young drivers aged 19 to 20 years.

The report also examined the learner driver experiences and driving behaviours of these young adults, and the association between unsafe driving behaviours and other problem behaviours (substance use and antisocial behaviour).