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The mentor system: how promising is it?

 

Young lorry drivers form a group that carries an increased traffic risk, both for themselves but, more particularly, for others. This situation could be improved by introducing a so-called mentor system, implying that novice drivers receive practical guidance from a more experienced driver for a particular period of time. Young drivers are then periodically examined in fields such as driving skill, safe driving behaviour and customer awareness.

A SWOV study (R-95-55) on this subject shows the following:

Advantage subject to condition: a guidance system offers optimal returns (low damage pattern, reduced absenteeism and fuel consumption), provided the company culture is based on mutual respect and good cooperation - in thought and deed - at all levels within the organisation (people-oriented management).

Disadvantages: a mentor system as a separate element of a quality policy which is only aimed at taking driving skill tests, offers less return. The relationship between cost and benefit soon becomes (too) unfavourable in that case. The following factors play a role in this:

Added value: It appears that only a fraction of the total damage sum sustained by transport companies relates to traffic accidents involving (severe) injury. The greater majority of damages is due to material damage, sustained on the public road or otherwise.

Based on these data, the added value of a mentor system for companies will be mainly of economic significance. The greatest gain (in terms of a reduction in damage) is anticipated from companies that at present apply a sanction-oriented policy.

SWOV Research Activities 5 - March 1996

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