Older Drivers and Navigation Devices

This project examined measures related to older adults’ driving performance while they drove to a familiar destination without navigation aids, and when following new routes they had not previously driven using paper directions or an electronic navigation system (ENS), often called a “GPS.” Phase 1 also explored the effects of experience/familiarity using an ENS on driving, route-following, and manual destination entry task performance. Phase 2 explored the impact of training in ENS use on driving behavior and destination entry performance. Phase 1 found that on average all age and familiarity groups exhibited better driving performance when using the ENS compared to paper directions. The 70-and-older group members who were previously unfamiliar with the use of an ENS had the poorest driving test scores. The Phase 1 destination entry task focused on determining whether the drivers could correctly enter addresses into the device. People in their 60s performed better on this task than did those in their 70s, and participants who were familiar with ENS outperformed those who were not. Phase 2 showed that training on the use of an ENS did not improve driving performance, but did improve performance on destination entry tasks. This study suggests that ENS systems are difficult for older drivers to program, but training such as that developed for the study can improve the ability of these drivers to correctly enter destinations. Any driving performance benefits the systems may afford drivers cannot be realized if a user cannot correctly input a destination or becomes frustrated and rejects the use of the ENS device altogether

• Record URL:
  https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/13685-older_driver_gps_report_062818_v2_tag.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/37855
• Corporate Authors:

  Dunlap and Associates, Incorporated

  110 Lenox Avenue
  Stamford, CT  United States  06906

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  Office of Behavioral Safety Research
  1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Thomas, Dennis
  • Dickerson, Anne E
  • Blomberg, Richard D
  • Graham, Lindsey A
  • Wright, Timothy J
  • Finstad, Kraig A
  • Romoser, Matthew E
• Publication Date: 2018-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 55p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged drivers; Driver performance; Driver rehabilitation; Driver training; Global Positioning System; Highway safety; Motor vehicle navigational aids; Navigation
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01684285
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT HS 812 587
• Contract Numbers: DTNH2209D00138L, Task Order 8
• Files: HSL, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 25 2018 5:15PM