Safe Driving Knowledge Dissemination and Testing Techniques. Volume 1: General Findings.

In order to determine the effectiveness of improved information dissemination and assessment techniques in reducing highway accidents, a set of seven targeted driver license manuals and tests were developed for the following groups of drivers: new drivers, youthful drivers, renewal applicants, older drivers, traffic violators, accident repeaters, and drinking drivers. The contents of the manuals and tests were based upon an analysis of critical information requirements for each target group and an assessment of existing information deficiencies of drivers relative to these requirements. The manuals and tests were administered to a sample of 30,000 drivers to determine their effectiveness in leading to acquisition, retention, and application of safe driving information. The amount of information acquired showed knowledge gains ranging between 20% and 30% for all target groups except the traffic violator group, which showed an 11% gain. A retention test administered to the new driver and renewal groups after a five-month interval showed a one-half to one-third information loss. The older driver group showed a slight gain. In addition to the manuals, a one-hour audiovisual presentation of the manual's contents was developed and yielded an information gain of 15% and 20% respectively among reading-disabled and mentally retarded high school students. (This report is a 48-page summary of the material in the 200-page final report, volume II, which is available separately--CE 015 838.) (Author/EM)