Utilization of research in policymaking for graduated driver licensing.
Young drivers are overrepresented in road trauma and vehicle-related deaths, and there is substantial evidence for the effectiveness of graduated driver licensing (GDL) policies that minimize young drivers' exposure to high-risk driving situations. However, it is unclear what role research plays in the process of making GDL policies. To understand how research is utilized in this context, we interviewed influential GDL policy actors in Australia and the United States. We found that GDL policy actors generally believed that research evidence informed GDL policy development, but they also believed that research was used to justify politically determined policy positions that were not based on evidence. Further efforts, including more effective research dissemination strategies, are required to increase research utilization in policy.
Hinchcliff
Reece
R
George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia. rhinchcliff@george.org.au
Ivers
Rebecca Q
RQ
Poulos
Roslyn
R
Senserrick
Teresa
T
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D011057:Politics; D012106:Research; D014481:United States