Young Driver Behavior and Injury Prevention Group
Young Driver Behavior and Injury Prevention (YDBIP) is concerned with advancing the understanding and safety of young drivers, and reducing their injuries and fatalities on the road, using a public health approach.
Our group conducts research to ultimately decrease motor vehicle crash risk and increase driver safety by:
- Understanding the social, psychological, behavioral, physiological, and environmental aspects of unsafe driver behavior, particulary the inexperienced, impaired, and distracted behavior of teens and young adults;
- Providing an evidence base for effective strategies, programs and policies that enhance teen and young adult driver safety;
- Translating effective teen and young driver safety programs into practice; and
- Promoting the adoption of safe driving behavior among teens and young adults.
In addition to YDBIP's focus on safety, we also work to better understand young drivers' mobility needs by addressing barriers that prevent the fulfillment of those needs. Our group is also interested in exploring issues related to sustainable transport for young drivers.
The research and program activities of YDBIP have been supported by both governmental and private industry. Our greatest support has been through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (i.e., NIH, CDC). We also receive support through collaboration with the U-M Departments of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine on a National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)-funded study, which is testing an intervention to reduce youth alcohol misuse and violence. Currently, YDBIP is also collaborating with the Center for Injury Prevention among Youth (CIPY) on a CDC-funded project. Such collaborations with these and other U-M Departments are anticipated to continue as YDBIP advances its research in the areas of alcohol and drug-related driving risk.
