Enhancement of Driving Performance Among Older Drivers

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Enhancement of Driving Performance Among Older
Drivers
Research conducted by Yale University School of
Medicine
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AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

• Established in 1947
• 501 (c)(3) Not-For-Profit
• Research affiliate of AAA/CAA
• North American Focus

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Mission

• Identify traffic safety problems
• Foster research that seeks solutions
• Disseminate information and educational materials

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Funded through the generosity of and its
members
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Published October 2007 Prepared by Yale
University School of Medicine Available
online at www.aaafoundation.org
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Our Aging Population...

• Over 27 million Americans are 70 years old or
  older.
• An estimated 20 million of them are licensed
  drivers.
• U.S. Census Bureau estimates 37 million Americans
  will be 70 by 2020, and over 50 million 70 by
  2030

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...and their need for safe mobility

• Over 500,000 drivers aged 70 were involved in
  police-reported crashes in 2006
• nearly 100,000 drivers 70 injured
• 2,819 killed
• Many older adults need to drive to maintain
  independence not driving associated with
• decreased participation in out-of-home activities
• increased depressive symptoms

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Driver improvement courses

• Usually consist of classroom-based instruction,
  some also include behind-the-wheel training or
  practice
• Research is mixed most studies havent found
  benefits with classroom instruction, but a recent
  study found classroom behind-the-wheel was
  effective

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Purpose of study

• To determine whether a driver training program
  including both in-class instruction and
  behind-the-wheel training could help older adults
  improve their driving

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About the study Driver Training Program

• 8 hours of classroom instruction
• based on AAA Driver Improvement Program
• taught by AAA-certified instructors
• topics included driving risk, communication,
  speed, effects of medications on driving, vehicle
  safety features, etc.
• Two behind-the-wheel sessions
• First session addressed errors the driver made in
  initial road test
• Second session reviewed these and addressed other
  common difficulties of older drivers

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About the study Participants

• Age 70
• valid Connecticut license
• drive at least once a week
• no serious medical problems
• vision 20/70 or better
• had not taken any driver education course in past
  year
• initial road test score not too low (too
  dangerous) or too high (dont need to take
  driving class)
• recruited from medical clinics and elsewhere in
  community

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About the study Evaluation

• 126 participants randomly assigned to either of 2
  groups
• 69 took the Driver Training Program (driver
  training group)
• 57 took an alternative program that did not
  involve any driving instruction, training, or
  practice (control group)
• Both groups took knowledge test and road test
  before program and repeated tests 8 weeks later

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Results

• Drivers who participated in the driver training
  program improved their scores on both the
  knowledge test and the road test
• The driver education group improved more than the
  control group, and the difference was
  statistically significant

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Conclusions and Recommendations

• Older drivers who participated in this driver
  training program significantly improved their
  driving
• More research is needed to
• determine what components of the program are most
  effective
• identify what drivers can benefit most from this
  type of program
• study the longer-term safety impact of the
  training programdoes it prevent crashes?

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• For more information,
• please go to
• www.aaafoundation.org

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The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a
501(c)(3) public charity located in Washington,
DC that is dedicated to saving lives and reducing
injuries. It is supported by donations from
AAA/CAA Clubs, AAA/CAA members, and other
organizations associated with AAA/CAA.