Because of the rapid increase in the numbers of older drivers, in addition to their increased vulnerability to injury, and because it is in the best interests of society to enable competent older drivers to continue to drive, there is a need to devise procedures and instruments for identifying those older drivers who should limit or discontinue their driving, without limiting the driving of those who pose no increased hazard. In response to this need, the current project seeks to develop a self-assessment instrument to assist older drivers in evaluating their own fitness to drive, thereby enabling them to make informed judgments about the kinds of driving they may undertake and to enhance their performance where possible. This document provides the technical background for instrument development. It is divided into four sections. The first section, Abilities Related to Safe Driving, reviews what is known about the effects of aging on several abilities presumed to be important for safe and efficient driving. This section reviews the findings in visual perception, cognitive processes, and psychomotor skills. The second section, Health Factors, reviews the prevalence and effects of medications and age-related disease on driving and crash-risk. The third section, Older Driver Education and Skill Enhancement, reviews many of the efforts to teach and retrain older drivers to improve their safety and efficiency on the roads. The final section, Existing Assessment Instruments, reviews several of the procedures, instruments, and equipment that have been used to assess older driver abilities. (Author/publisher)
Abstract