Federal Study Asks Whether Older First-Time Drivers Need Extra Rules
Published Date: 10/19/2026
Notice
Summary
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching a new study to understand how young and older new drivers behave during their first year of driving alone. This research will help decide if special rules or training should apply to older novice drivers to keep everyone safer. Comments on this study’s information collection are open until November 18, 2026, with no cost impact expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Time you spend if you enroll
If you enroll, you will spend study time over the 12-month period: about 128 minutes total if assigned to the smartphone data collection group and about 608 minutes total if assigned to the vehicle data collection group. The study estimates 2 minutes for screening, 10 minutes for informed consent, baseline activities of 30 minutes (smartphone) or 270 minutes (vehicle), up to 84 minutes across study-period questionnaires, and final activities of 2 minutes (smartphone) or 242 minutes (vehicle); the total annual burden across all respondents is 2,574 hours.
Estimated opportunity cost to participants
The study estimates an aggregate opportunity cost of $110,378 annually for respondents' time across the collection. The notice also states the 'Estimated Total Annual Burden Cost' is $0 while separately presenting the $110,378 opportunity cost figure.
Participant payment amounts
Participants will be paid: $220 if in the smartphone data collection group and $340 if in the vehicle data collection group. The notice states these payments are expected to offset participants' time and some other costs.
Travel cost for in‑vehicle subgroup
A subgroup of participants (225 individuals) who need in-vehicle equipment installed will travel up to 10 miles one-way for two visits (about 40 miles total) and are expected to incur no more than $29 in transportation costs each. The notice estimates total travel costs to respondents will be no more than $2,175 annually (and cites $6,525 total in the same discussion) and says these costs are minimal and expected to be offset by participant compensation.
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