COGNITIVE CAPACITY AND CONCURRENT DRIVING PERFORMANCE IN OLDER DRIVERS

One essential question in the issue of older driver safety involves assessment of driving skills. The present study addressed this question and, more specifically, the evaluation of change in drivers' cognitive ability and how this impacts driver safety. One hundred twenty-three subjects were evaluated by means of detailed laboratory and on-road driving evaluations. Ninety-one subjects were volunteers and reflected the general driving population over age 55. Thirty-two subjects had probable Alzheimer-type dementia and were referred by specialty clinics. A series of computer-administered cognitive tests were found to correlate significantly with driving performance. Most of the same measures were correlated with age. Among these, a type of selective visual attention (useful field of view) emerged as the best single predictor of driving performance. Other indices of driving difficulty included driver reports of low annual mileage, and drivers' receipt of a recommendation (from anyone) to stop driving. The oldest drivers more frequently failed to meet road-test driving standards, drove fewer annual miles, and used more compensatory strategies. The potential usefulness of single or combined cognitive screening measures is presented, along with a discussion of the relative merits of function versus age-based evaluation.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03861112
• Authors:
  • Cushman, L A
• Publication Date: 1996

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 38-45
• Serial:
  • IATSS Research
  • Publisher: International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences
  • ISSN: 0386-1112

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged drivers; Alertness; Attention; Cognitive impairment; Driver performance; Drivers; Driving; Evaluation and assessment; Highway safety; Human subject testing; Laboratory studies; Mental disorders; Motor skills; Personnel performance; Persons with disabilities; Road tests
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver mileage
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00734516
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 4 1997 12:00AM