Diversion from prosecution: retuning the
crash magnets
Professor Stephen Stradling
Emeritus Professor of Transport Psychology
Edinburgh Napier University
RSGB Chester
15 Nov 2011
DIVERSION FROM PROSECUTION COURSES:
RETUNING THE CRASH MAGNETS
STEPHEN STRADLING Edinburgh Napier University & Timperley
WITH
DR PAUL BROUGHTON Owl research
DR CRIS BURGESS Exeter University
DR FIONA FYLAN Leeds Metropolitan University
DR HELEN SCOTT Sunderland University
Driver taking a short cut driving the wrong way on a 1-way street
Driver remaining in lane 2 or 3 on motorway when lane 1 is empty
Driver overtaking on the inside at speed
Driver clocked doing 38 in a 30
P2W rider crossing a solid white line to overtake
Driver mounting the kerb to avoid stationary traffic
Driver taking the wrong lane at a roundabout, causing confusion
Driver changing lane on a dual carriageway without signalling, causing non-injury collision
Driver stopped doing 51 in a 40
P2W rider cutting corners on country road at speed
WHAT DO ALL THESE HAVE IN COMMON?
WHAT DO ALL THESE HAVE IN COMMON?
Moving traffic offences
Failures of socialisation and training
Crash Magnets: driving with reduced safety margins, purposely or inadvertently
Potential prelude to a prang or disruption of progress: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE
THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP, A SECOND CHANCE
News of the World: David Cameron's 'second
chance' for a friend returns to haunt him
"I decided to give him a second chance and no
one has ever raised serious concerns about
how he did his job for me," Cameron said. "But
the second chance didn't work out and he had
to resign all over again.”
Clegg: I warned Cameron about Coulson
Sunday, 17 July 2011 12:40 PM
By politics.co.uk staff
Nick Clegg warned David Cameron about Andy Coulson before and after the election,
he has confirmed.
Moving traffic offences
Failures of socialisation and training
Crash Magnets: driving with reduced safety margins, purposely or inadvertently
Potential prelude to a prang or disruption of progress: IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE
THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP A SECOND CHANCE?
SO IT ISN’T WORSE NEXT TIME - Retribution OR Remediation?
SAFE –
Ignore
REMEDIABLE –
Retune
DANGEROUS –
Prosecute
SKILL DEFICIT
ATTITUDE DEFICIT
SAFE –
Ignore
REMEDIABLE –
Retune
DANGEROUS –
Prosecute
NATIONAL COURSES approved by ACPO developed through NDORS
NATIONAL RIDE COURSE
NATIONAL SPEED AWARENESS COURSE
NATIONAL DRIVER ALERTNESS COURSE
NATIONAL DRIVING 4 CHANGE COURSE
NATIONAL WHAT’S DRIVING US? COURSE
Driving and riding are activities that involve sharing the road with many, often
more vulnerable, legimately present, others. Attendance at a course with the
physical co-presence of other such road users, often with different outlooks and
trip agendas, helps convey this message.
The provision of common national courses means that drivers and riders can
choose from any of the participating providers, making courses more accessible.
RIDE
P2W rider cutting corners on country road at speed
P2W rider crossing a solid white line to overtake
SPEED AWARENESS
Driver clocked doing 38 in a 30
Driver stopped doing 51 in a 40
DRIVER ALERTNESS
Driver taking a short cut driving the wrong way on a 1-way street
Driver changing lane on a dual carriageway without signalling, causing non-injury collision
DRIVING 4 CHANGE
Driver remaining in lane 2 or 3 on motorway when lane 1 is empty
Driver taking the wrong lane at a roundabout, causing confusion
WHAT’S DRIVING US?
Driver overtaking on the inside at speed
Driver mounting the kerb to avoid stationary traffic
DEFICIT to
remediate
RIDE
Bikers
Evaluated
SPEED AWARENESS
Drivers
Evaluated
attitude
VIOLATION
observation + attitude
ERROR OR VIOLATION
CONFORMERS, COMPLIERS & MANIPULATORS
DRIVER ALERTNESS
Drivers
Evaluated
DRIVING 4 CHANGE
Drivers
Piloting
WHAT’S DRIVING US? Drivers
Piloting
skill + attitude
(care or consideration)
ERROR & VIOLATION
skill (care)
ERROR
attitude (consideration)
VIOLATION
NATIONAL RIDE COURSE
An alternative to prosecution for offences committed under Section 3, Section 39
and excess speed (non-camera) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Objectives:
increase awareness of current riding behaviour and
engender a positive and responsible approach to motorcycling.
The course encourages clients to continue to ride their motorcycle, but to
• examine their individual attitudes and motivations
• examine their approach to risk
• probe their beliefs surrounding inappropriate riding behaviour
• consider the positive effects and benefits of mindset change
• maintain these positive changes after course completion
Duration 1 day
Location classroom
Cost £86 - £101
NATIONAL SPEED AWARENESS COURSE
An alternative to prosecution for low level speeding (limit +10% + 2–6mph at the
time of evaluation; now limit +10% + 2-9 mph). (e.g., was 35-39, now 35-42 in a 30)
Objectives:
• identify the benefits of complying with speed limits
• raise awareness of appropriate attitudes towards the misuse of speed
• understand the consequences of speeding and explore the advantages and
disadvantages of speeding
• improve knowledge of speed limits and skills in identifying different limit areas
• recognise personal responsibility for choice of speed
• recognise impact of driving behaviour on other road users
• provide opportunity to increase knowledge and skills in hazard perception
Duration 4 hrs (5 hrs)
Location classroom (+ on-road)
Cost £75 - £95
Self-reported behaviour at 30 mph speed camera in built-up area
Before At After
HUSSAR
UK n=1,066
SAC
n=362
Total
% %
Total
% %
Conformer
Nervous conformer
30 30 30
28 25 28
47%
16% 63%
24%
9% 32%
Complier
Late complier
35 30 30
35 35 30
11%
0% 11%
22%
7% 29%
Full manipulator
Partial manipulator
Released manipulator
40 30 40
40 30 35
30 30 40
14%
5%
7% 26%
24%
5%
3% 32%
Defier
50 50 50
0.9% 0.9%
7% 7%
Self-reported behaviour at 30 mph speed camera in built-up area
Before At After
HUSSAR
UK n=1,066
SAC
n=362
Total
% %
Total
% %
Conformer
Nervous conformer
Skill deficit
Complier
Late complier
30 30 30
28 25 28
47%
16% 63%
24%
9% 32%
35 30 30
35 35 30
11%
0% 11%
22%
7% 29%
Full manipulator
Partial manipulator
Released manipulator
40 30 40
40 30 35
30 30 40
14%
5%
7% 26%
24%
5%
3% 32%
Attitude deficit
50 50 50
0.9% 0.9%
7% 7%
Defier
NATIONAL DRIVER ALERTNESS COURSE
The National Driver Alertness scheme should be used to remove from the criminal
justice system those drivers who by a driving error have offended against Section 3
of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and offer them a course at an approved course venue.
Where there is evidence that the person’s driving amounts to more than an error
of judgement, the case should be referred for prosecution.
Driving without Due Care and Attention OR without reasonable consideration for other road users.
Objectives:
• re-calibrate drivers' perceptions of task difficulty
• help drivers avoid factors that reduce their driving competence
• increase drivers' awareness of the causes and consequences of collisions
• challenge drivers' dysfunctional beliefs
• enable drivers to identify their individual driving dangers and develop an
action plan to stay safe on the roads
Duration 1 day
Location classroom + on-road
Cost £125 - £200
NATIONAL DRIVING 4 CHANGE COURSE
A lapse of concentration, an error of judgement, or a general mistake, or a lack of
awareness of the law pertaining to the offence that he or she has committed, that
has not had wider consequences (i.e. a collision)
Aim
To raise awareness of driving skill deficits and start the process of addressing it
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
To increase understanding of what constitutes safer driving behaviour
To increase understanding of their own skill deficits
To improve their driving skills
To increase their motivation to further improve their driving
Duration 1/2 day
Location on-road
Cost £80 - £85
The W Model
WHO
WHY
1)Who was in the car with you at the time?
Children
Why did you do what you did?
Peer 25-60 Disabled Other
(Statement to discuss)
WHERE
(2) Who do you think your behaviour
affected?
What type of road did the incident occur on?
Type of Road
Speed Limit Tick as identified
Urban
30
Rural
National
Dual Carriageway 70
WHAT
Motorway
70
WHEN
1) What was happening at the time?
(Statement to discuss)
Time/dates
Time of day
Am
Day of week
Month
Pm
Do you think this had any effect on your
incident, if yes why?
Mapping of ND4C Course Objectives to Content
Course Objectives
Let’s
Discuss
1. To increase their
understanding of what
constitutes safer driving
behaviour
√
2. To increase understanding of
their skill deficits
√
3 To improve their driving skills
√
4. To increase motivation to
further improve their driving
√
Let’s
Drive 1
√
√
Let’s
Drive 2
Let’s
Reflect
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
Research
Course evaluation and client satisfaction
Does the course change behaviour?
Does the course change attitudes?
Research Methodology
Behaviour/attitude questionnaire
• Pre course
• Post course I
• Post course II (4 week follow-up)
Research
Research Question
What are the underlying causation factors for specific referral offences?
Research Methodology
ADI to complete a record sheet for each participant:
• The Offence and circumstances (W template)
• Three items to work on (agreed following drive 1)
• Three items promised for practice (agreed following drive 2)
• Other comments
NATIONAL WHAT’S DRIVING US?
An act or omission that can be construed as intentional or deliberate, where … the driver
knew their actions amounted to an offence, that had not had wider consequences (i.e. a third
party complaint or collision)
Aims of the course are to produce safer and more responsible attitudes towards driving, and to
increase motivation to drive with consideration for other road users.
Objectives:
•
Increase perceptions of driving as a complex and difficult task.
•
Increase recognition that the way they drive and the risks they take increase the likelihood of
crashing.
•
Increase awareness of the physical, emotional, and financial consequences of being involved
in a crash.
•
Increase understanding of the need for traffic rules.
•
Increase insight into the things that influence their driving.
Duration 4 hrs
Location classroom
A plan for the day
•
•
•
•
9am – 10.30am: Presentations and activities
10.30-10.45am: Break
10.45 – 11.45: Group work and feedback
11.45- 12.15: Presentations and activities
Denial
Acceptance
Depression
Anger
Bargaining
(GRIEVING for LOSS of CURRENT IDENTITY as a DRIVER)
The WDU course makes use of the following behavioural change techniques
Behavioural Change Technique
(Abraham & Michie, 2008)
Provide information about the behaviour-health link

Provide information on consequences

Provide information about others’ approval

Prompt intention formation

Prompt barrier identification

Provide instruction

Plan social support / social change

Prompt specific goal setting

Teach to use prompts/cues

Prompt practice

Provide opportunities for social comparison

Prompt identification as role model

Motivational interviewing

Relapse prevention

What are you going to do differently?
• Thinking about your incident, what situation
might you be in that means you might drive in
Teach to
this way again?
use
• Where will you be driving to?
prompts/
cues
• Who will you be travelling with?
• What are you going to do differently?
– Before the drive?
– During the drive?
Prompt
intention
formation
And these are the ones we failed to get in
Behavioural Change Technique
Provide general encouragement
Set graded tasks
Model or demonstrate the behaviour
Prompt review of behavioural goals
Prompt self-monitoring of behaviour
Provide feedback on performance
Provide contingent rewards
Agree behavioural contract
Use follow-up prompts
Prompt self-talk
Stress management
Time management
COURSE EVALUATION
RIDE
Before, After and Follow-up inc 4 FGs, tutor interviews;
compared to untreated group of bikers
SPEED AWARENESS
Before, After and 3 mo Follow-up inc 6 FGs
DRIVER ALERTNESS
Before, After and 2 mo Follow-up;
compared to Driver Improvement Scheme
DRIVING 4 CHANGE
Before and After + 2 FGs, instructor interviews, online provider questionnaire
WHAT’S DRIVING US? Before and After + 2 FGs, instructor interviews, online provider questionnaire
Enhanced administrative arrangements such as supplier accreditation, training the trainers, process
monitoring including quality control inspections, and robust outcome evaluation involving before-after
designs, are being put in place to ensure we know what works, with whom, and under what conditions.
EVALUATION HIGHLIGHTS
RIDE
Before, After and Follow-up inc 4 FGs, tutor interviews;
compared to untreated group of bikers
RIDE clients report:
o Lower speeds in specific riding locations following course attendance
o Braking sharply less frequently, in both urban and rural areas
o Leaving larger safety margins between their hypothetical maximum speed and their ‘normal’ riding
speed
They agreed or strongly agreed that the course:
o helped them to identify their own bad riding habits (80%)
o gave them a better understanding of the hazards riders face on the roads (92%)
They:
o were surprised that they were not chastised or patronised during the course, and appreciated the
knowledge and experience of the tutors
o were expecting the course to focus on skills and techniques that would make them a safer rider, and
that it would provide them with practical skills, and this expectation was not met
o found RIDE an acceptable alternative to points and a fine
EVALUATION HIGHLIGHTS
SPEED AWARENESS
Before, After and 3 mo Follow-up inc 6 FGs
99% of clients who responded at follow-up reported that they had changed their driving after attending
the course: driving more slowly, being more aware of the road environment and of their speed, and
feeling less stressed while driving. While a minority (9%) described how they had found it difficult to
break their driving habits, and that they sometimes felt pressure from other drivers to speed up,
particularly on motorways, the majority (90%) reported that they had not experienced any difficulties in
applying what they had learnt.
The course:
o provides information that challenges attitudes towards speeding
o helps them to recognise that the advantages are not as great as they may have assumed
o helps them understand the reason for speed limits being set as they are
o helps them realise that the driving environment is more hazardous than they had appreciated
o gives them greater insight into their own driving, including the pressures that they face and the limits
to their own knowledge
o gives them skills in identifying speed limits, and easy-to-recall tips (e.g., COAST), knowledge and skills
to improve their driving style
Many become advocates for the course and share their new knowledge and skills with friends and
family. They promote slower more relaxed driving styles and actively encourage others to slow down.
EVALUATION HIGHLIGHTS
DRIVER ALERTNESS
Before, After and 2 mo Follow-up;
compared to Driver Improvement Scheme
At follow-up 99% reported that they had changed their driving
o Being more aware of what could happen in different situations
o It’s made me think ahead more
o I am more observant with near or distant road users 'making last minute changes‘
o I am a lot more tolerant. I do not get upset about minor things
o I am slower, allowing more space, more relaxed and knowledgeable about traffic signs as I had
misread one when I had the accident
o I drive much more economically now which means I am less rushed and safer and more aware of
the road
Agreed:
o the classroom instructors knew what they were talking about
o the driving instructors understood their driving
o the instructors cared that you stay safe on the road
Driver Alertness was as effective in changing self-reported attitudes and behaviours in 1 day as
Driver Improvement in 1.5 days
REFLECT UPON YOUR PRACTICES
s.stradling@napier.ac.uk