The extent to which older adults use technological devices while driving is understudied. There are 35 million adults aged 65 and older who are licensed drivers in the United States, and this is expected to rise to more than 40 million by 2020. In a 2007 report, it was estimated that one-quarter of all crashes in the United States were related to distracted driving due to interaction with communication devices, entertainment systems, and the like. Despite an increase in the number of older drivers1 and in crash rates due to distracted driving,2 research has not focused on older adults and distracted driving as related to the use of electronic devices. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and frequency of technology usage while driving in a sample of older adults. (Author/publisher)
Abstract