ARE ELDERLY DRIVERS A ROAD HAZARD? PROBLEM DEFINITION AND POLITICAL IMPACT

This paper explores the issue of hazardous driving by older adults in terms of its definition and political impact. Older drivers are increasing in number, and some statistics show they are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than all other age groups, except those under age 25. State have attempted to address the problem in various ways, but very few have required mandatory retesting at license renewal for those beyond a particular age. Several phases of problem definition are explored to explain the political dynamics of the older driver issue: incidence, causality, severity, crisis labeling, problem population characteristics, and linkage of values to the issue and solutions. From analysis, it is not surprising that older-adult interest groups have been successful in containing policy initiatives designed to restrict older adults' driving.

• Corporate Authors:

  Elsevier

  The Boulevard, Langford Lane
  Kidlington, Oxford  United Kingdom  OX5 1GB
• Authors:
  • Cobb, R W
  • Coughlin, J F
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 411-427
• Serial:
  • Journal of Aging Studies
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Elsevier

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Aged drivers; Automobile drivers; Crash data; Driver licensing; Fatalities; High risk drivers; Policy; Political factors; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Policy; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00792522
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 2 2000 12:00AM