Individual and group learning of the Highway Code: comparing board game and traditional methods

The effectiveness of the use of a board-game version of the Highway Code with senior secondary school pupils was compared to that of the traditional read and memorize approach. To isolate variance attributable to interactivity in learning, this was done in both individual and group settings. Pretests and posttests of subject knowledge in the four experimental conditions showed that use of the board game significantly improved learning of the Highway Code under both individual and group conditions, as compared to the traditional method. No effects of gender or personality were found. It is concluded that the specific board game used is an effective method of educating potential learner drivers in road safety, particularly relevant to the separate 'theory' examination recently included in the driving test in the UK.