Wisconsin's experience with the Graduated Driver Licensing Law

Abstract

In 2000, Wisconsin enacted the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Law in an effort to reduce the number of teen deaths and injuries due to motor vehicle crashes. The GDL program targets high-risk teen driving behaviors by mandating more hours of supervised driving, limiting nighttime driving, restricting vehicle passengers, requiring seatbelt use, and mandating absolute sobriety for all teen drivers. In the first 3 years of graduated driver licensing, Wisconsin saw a 15% decrease in the number of motor vehicle collisions involving 16-year-old drivers. While this decline is encouraging, it lags behind the effectiveness documented by other states with GDL laws. The current study evaluates informational or attitudinal barriers that may prevent the effective implementation of Wisconsin's GDL law. Knowledge and attitude surveys were administered to 15-17 year olds and their parents. Parents (n=26) and teens (n=26) were knowledgeable about the 30 hours of supervised driving during the learner's permit phase and extremely knowledgeable about the 9-month nighttime and passenger restrictions of the probationary phase. While 76% of parents supported GDL, 70% of teens disapproved of the law. The reasons for disapproval varied, parents often cited inconvenience and restrictiveness. Teens most often cited passenger restrictions as the reason for disapproval. Overall, negative attitudes, more than lack of knowledge, may weaken compliance with Wisconsin's GDL law and, in turn, limit the reduction of teen crashes.