Older Adult Drivers: CDC Activities
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- Older Adult Drivers: Fact Sheet
Exploring the relationships between
walking, driving and health
CDC researchers are collaborating with scientists at Group Health
Cooperative to study the walking and driving ability of older adults. A
health survey asking questions about driving and walking habits and
abilities was linked to existing health data such as comorbidities,
medication use, health care visits and cost of care. These data will
enable researchers to study how adults restrict their driving, compare
the health of drivers versus non-drivers, and evaluate how the fear of
falling may limit transportation mode choice.
Developing an
assessment battery for older driver capabilities
With CDC funding, researchers at the University of Michigan
Transportation Research Institute developed and pilot tested a
comprehensive battery of assessment instruments for older
drivers that was inexpensive and easy to administer. Results
showed that the entire battery required less than one hour to
complete. Subjective statements by participants showed that the
battery was acceptable, free of problems, had tasks presented in
a good order, and was not too long. The authors found that the
assessment battery is low-cost, transportable, easy to
administer, easy for participants to complete, provides a
comprehensive assessment of a person抯 physical health, mental
health, and driving behaviors and would serve as a valuable data
collection tool for a longitudinal study of older drivers.
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Extramural
Unintentional Injury Prevention Research Abstracts of research projects in unintentional injury prevention |
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Related article:
Eby, D.W., Molnar, L.J., Nation, A. D., Shope, J.T., & Kostyniuk, L.P. (2006). Development and Testing of an Assessment Battery for Older Drivers. Report No. UMTRI-2006-04. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
The safety of roundabouts and the older driver
With CDC funding, researchers at Texas A&M University studied intersection
design with the older driver in mind. Experience in the United States and in
other countries suggests that traffic conflicts and overall safety at
intersections can be dramatically improved through the installation of
modern roundabouts. However, roundabouts can create more demands on older
drivers due to the complexity of these types of intersections. This research
sought to develop and evaluate countermeasures with the potential to improve
the perceived comfort, confidence, and/or safety of seniors in using
roundabouts.
Related article:
Lord D, van Schalkwyk I, Chrysler S, Staplin L. A strategy to reduce older driver injuries at intersections using more accommodating roundabout design practices. Accident Analysis & Prevention, in press.
Older adult driver
involvement in crashes where someone else died
To determine whether older adult drivers ages 65 years and older were more
likely than younger drivers to be involved in crashes when someone else
died, CDC researchers analyzed three years of motor vehicle crash data. They
found that, in fact, older drivers were involved in fewer of these crashes
than were drivers ages 16 to 34. Crashes caused by older drivers were more
likely to result in the death of the older driver than others involved in
the crash. This study helps dispel the myth that older drivers present an
unacceptable threat to others on the road.
Related article:
Dellinger AM, Kresnow Mj, White DD, Sehgal M. Risk to self versus risk to others: How do older drivers compare to others on the road? American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2004;26(3):217�.
Fatal crashes among older
drivers
CDC researchers analyzed fatal crash involvement rates for drivers ages 65
years and older by assessing the contributions of the crash fatality rate
(risk of death), incidence density (risk of crash), and exposure prevalence
(amount of driving) to the fatal crash involvement rates of older drivers.
The crash fatality rates and the incidence densities increased with age,
while the exposure prevalence decreased. In other words, although older
drivers drove less, they were more likely to crash and to die in a crash.
These findings suggest that older driver crash deaths can be reduced by
decreasing their crash risk, their risk of injury when a crash occurs, or by
decreasing the amount they drive.
Related article:
Dellinger AM, Langlois JA, Li G. Fatal crashes among older drivers: decomposition of rates into contributing factors. American Journal of Epidemiology 2002;155(3):234�.
License renewal and crash
risk among older drivers
With CDC funding, researchers at the University of Washington are
investigating the relationship between older drivers� crash risk and the
time since their last license renewal. The interval between license renewals
is an issue of public policy, and states must balance the crash risk caused
by drivers who have become impaired against the cost and inconvenience of
more frequent renewals. The results of this study will help decision makers
determine the appropriate interval between license renewals for older
drivers.
Race, sex, and ethnicity
and motor vehicle- and fall-related deaths among older adults
CDC researchers analyzed annual mortality data to identify differences in
motor vehicle- and fall-related death rates among adults ages 65 years and
older by sex, race, and ethnicity. From 1990 to 1998, overall motor
vehicle-related death rates remained stable, while death rates from
unintentional falls increased among older adults. Both motor vehicle- and
fall-related death rates were higher among men; motor vehicle-related death
rates were higher among people of color; and death rates from falls were
higher among Whites whose annual relative increase was 3.8% for both men and
women. Fall-related death rates were higher among non-Hispanics than
Hispanics. This study analyzed race and ethnicity patterns and discovered
disparities in the death rates. The findings will be useful for identifying
high-risk groups and for developing prevention strategies that target them.
Related article:
Stevens JA, Dellinger AM. Motor vehicle and fall related deaths among older Americans 1990-98: sex, race, and ethnic disparities. Injury Prevention 2002;8(4): 272�
Why older adults stop
driving
CDC scientists worked with the University of California, San Diego to survey
drivers ages 55 years and older living in community settings to find out why
they stopped driving. The most common reasons for stopping were medical
conditions梖requently, poor vision. This research provides insight into why
older drivers decide that they are no longer fit to drive, which can help
public health practitioners develop programs to reduce motor vehicle-related
injuries in this population.
Related article:
Dellinger AM, Sehgal M, Sleet DA, Barrett-Connor E. Driving cessation: what older former drivers tell us. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2001;49(4):431�
Page last modified: March 12, 2007