Critical Analysis of a Research Article-Driving Behavior of Licensed and Unlicensed Teeagers - Essay Example

The hypothesis in the article on driving behavior of licensed and unlicensed teenagers concerns the undesirable effects of teenage driving. It has been observed that teenagers are involved in a higher number of accidents as compared to other groups of people leading to a high death rate and serious injuries. The study determines the prevalence and the risks and associated factors for unlicensed drivers in their teenage years. The major purpose of the study is for exploratory reasons. This kind of study is a form of social research that is conducted by use of questionnaires and formulation of hypotheses.

The current case of study is appropriate for this kind of research as it does not have to endorse its typicality. The students who took part in the research gave details about their race, driver education history, alcohol or substance use and their grades in the previous month. The students also gave information on how often they drove and for what purpose. The students also gave information on the most helpful person in teaching them how to drive and the driver’s education. The school location was also an important variable and it was classified into rural, town, suburban and central city.

Students were also expected to report on their driving behaviors and occurrences including number of accidents experienced, number of hours driven weekly, the use of seatbelts and the speeding rate they used according to American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). A national representative school based survey was carried out to establish whether students in their teenage years practiced unlicensed driving, the associated behaviors, the risks they are exposed to and demographic factors. Unlicensed driving is driving when one has no official license or when one is not authorized to do so.

American Academy of Pediatrics (20100 explains that the survey was conducted on all school attending students regardless of their