Stegelitz Thomas

MISTEL/SPI Forschung gGmbH is a non-profit organisation working on regional, national and international level in the field of social and scientific research, design and implementation of transnational programmes in the health and social field, having many years of experience in the field of qualitative and quantitative research and has carried out many successful studies. One of the project we have developed is the PEER-Projekt an Fahrschulen, which has been (and still is being) also implemented under the name "PEER-Drive Clean!" in different European Countries.<br><br>Apart from health hazards, alcohol consumption of youths and young adults means a big<br>problem especially in road traffic. The number of accidents of young male and female beginner<br>drivers is – according to accidents statistics of all European countries – above average,<br>although the number of road traffic accidents has been decreasing annually. E.g. in Germany,<br>the age group of 18 to 24 years causes ca. 25% of the accidents under the influence of<br>alcohol, although they represent only 8% of the population. Road accidents are the main<br>cause of death for young people.<br><br>In „PEER-Projekt an Fahrschulen“ young people (peers of the same age) meet learner drivers in driving<br>schools during an additional unit in the framework of the theoretical education and inform them about hazards of alcohol and drugs in road traffic in additional<br>units. Within these „PEER Units“ peer educators, learner and beginner drivers together work<br>out individual and practical strategies and rules in order to avoid drunk driving when participating<br>in motorised traffic.<br><br>The project is currently implemented in ten federal Laender in Germany and in 5 European Countries. In Germany we reach with this approach around 10.000 novice drivers in around 1.100 peer units in driving schools per year. The approach has been also proven as effective due to evaluation results of a control-intervention-group study design and shows that peer education can be effective.