Encouraging voluntary driving practice among learner drivers aged 21–30 in Victoria: a randomised controlled trial of behavioural interventions

This online randomised controlled trial explored the effects of two novel behavioural interventions and an active control condition on learner drivers’ intentions to complete a minimum of 80 h of voluntary supervised driving practice (practice hours) before taking their driver licence test. The final sample of 658 learner drivers aged 21–30 years from Victoria (Australia) was randomly assigned to one of three online intervention conditions: a persuasive message (n = 247), a planning tool (n = 204), or a handbook (an active control condition) (n = 207). The persuasive message aimed to challenge the misconception that older learner drivers do not require extensive driving practice, while the planning tool supported learners in developing personalised plans for practice. The handbook was an existing educational resource, providing general information for learner drivers, including the benefits of practice hours. Primary outcome variables, measured before and after intervention exposure, included overall likelihood and overall attitude towards completing at least 80 h of supervised driving practice, as well as the total number of practice hours participants planned to complete and would be willing to undertake before sitting their driver licence test. Mixed ANOVAs indicated that the persuasive message significantly increased learners’ overall likelihood and overall attitude, as well as their planned and willing hours. In contrast, the planning tool did not demonstrate significant improvements in the primary outcomes and was associated with higher rates of dropout from the study, suggesting limited acceptability. The handbook (control) reduced overall attitude towards completing 80 practice hours. Additional analyses revealed differences in perceived impact and information-seeking behaviour across intervention conditions, with the effects of the persuasive message and the planning tool (compared to the handbook) being mediated by self-efficacy beliefs rather than beliefs about consequences. The findings provide preliminary support for a persuasive message as a cost-effective and feasible intervention to promote voluntary supervised driving practice among learner drivers. Implementing such messages could enhance road safety by encouraging learners to accumulate adequate driving practice.