ABSTRACT
Crash rates among novice drivers are the highest in the first months after licensing and drop substantially over the first two years of driving, with the most pronounced decline during the first six months of driving (Mayhew et al, 2003), or during the first 5000 kilometres of driving (Vlakveld, 2005). The question is: ‘What processes are taking place that lead to this decrease in crash rate?’ Accident studies suggest that the decrease in risk is primarily related to practice rather than biological maturation, as the accident curve is similar for all novice driver groups, irrespective of age (Maycock et al, 1991; Vlakveld, 2005). A full understanding of how practice leads to a lower accident risk is still lacking (Willems and Cuyvers, 2004).
