The effect of group-adapted motivational interviewing on traffic convictions and driving behaviors of court-adjudicated youth

Traffic Inj Prev. 2013;14(6):572-7. doi: 10.1080/15389588.2012.734666.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a 20 hr prevention program (The Reducing Dangerous Driving Program, RYDD) in reducing traffic citation recidivism and high-risk driving behaviors among 16- to 20-year-olds referred by the Rhode Island courts for traffic citation events.

Methods: Participants were randomized to receive either the Adapted Group Motivational Interviewing (AGMI) or the Community Service (CS) arm of the study. Participants completed a survey at baseline and at 6 and 12 months post-RYDD completion. Objective court data on post-RYDD traffic event citations were also collected.

Results: There were no significant differences between the groups on measures of high-risk driving behaviors and post-RYDD traffic event citation recidivism at the 12-month follow-up assessment.

Conclusions: There remains a need to develop and test behavioral interventions that could address high-risk driving behaviors and associated motor vehicle crash (MVC) risk in this population. Further research is needed to determine whether group behavioral interventions that use motivational interviewing could be a possible mechanism for changing high-risk behaviors, traffic citation recidivism, and the associated risks that these pose for MVCs among young drivers.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Automobile Driving / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Automobile Driving / psychology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motivational Interviewing / methods*
  • Program Evaluation
  • Psychotherapy, Group*
  • Rhode Island
  • Risk-Taking
  • Young Adult