National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility...

National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity

The Mature Driver, Safety & The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility IssuesMobility Issues

Principal Investigators: Naomi G. Rotter

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Claire McKnight

City College of New York

Research Assistants: Shaikh Rahman, NJIT

Ruth Mateo, CCNY

Project Monitor: Ken Stevenson, NJDOT

Client: W. Patrick Scheffer, NJDOT

NJDOT Research Month NJIT Week, October 16-20, 2000


Given an increasing population of the age group 65 and older, is there a safety problem on the roads in New Jersey? National data show inconsistent findings:

A higher accident rate, per miles driven, for the older driver category.In absolute numbers, older drivers have fewest crashes of all types.

If there is a problem, what can be done to increase safety?

The Research ProblemThe Research ProblemThe Research ProblemThe Research Problem


Source: Traffic Safety Facts 1998, R&D - National Center for Statistics & Analysis

National Center for Transportation and Industrial ProductivitySource: Traffic Safety Facts 1998, R&D - National Center for Statistics & Analysis


Driving Related AbilitiesDriving Related Abilities

Visual Cognitive Psychomotor Abilities Health Factors

Medical ProblemsEffects of Medication


Visual AbilitiesVisual Abilities

About 90 % of all information needed for driving is visual

Age related declines in visual abilitiesVisual acuity both static and dynamicSensitivity to contrastsAbility to adapt to light and dark Increased sensitivity to glareReduced peripheral vision


Driving requires the ability to attend to and react to multiple visual cues and operate controls.

Age related cognitive declines Selected and vided attention Increase in distractibility Information processing time Reaction time Cognitive maps and way-finding skills

deteriorate

Cognitive AbilitiesCognitive Abilities


Psychomotor AbilitiesPsychomotor Abilities

Operating a car depends on the ability to respond physically to visual and to auditory signals.

Age related declines in psychomotor abilitiesReaction time slows due to cognitive

changesHealth related problems slow reaction

time.


Health FactorsHealth Factors

Medical Conditions: Heart disease, Syncope, Stroke, Diabetes, & Alzheimer’s/Dementia

Effects of medications: Psychoactive drugs (tranquilizers, mood elevators, sleeping pills, etc.) effect CNS which in turn effects sensation, movement & thinking, Anti-hypertensives show mixed results on crash risk


Skill Enhancement and Self-Skill Enhancement and Self-Monitoring for SafetyMonitoring for Safety

Skill Enhancement Programs 55 alive/ Mature Driving, an AARP program Safe Driving for Mature Operators, an AAA program Coaching Mature Drivers, National Safety Council

program

Self- Monitoring Less likely to drive during peak periods Less likely to use freeways Less likely to drive in adverse weather conditions Less likely to drive at night


State Licensing PoliciesState Licensing Policies

27 State have no special provisions. These include FL, NY, NJ, TX, OH

12 States have accelerated renewal period after a driver passes age 65 or 70

11 States have other provisions such as no mail renewal, vision tests, or road tests


Research DesignResearch Design

An examination of accident data in New Jersey. This approach will look at age in relation to a number of other factors.

A survey of state DMVs to ascertain what changes are being considered to deal with safety issues for mature drivers.

National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility...

Documents

Transcript of National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility...