This research project started in 1996 when the fitness-to-drive evaluation centre (CARA) of the Belgium Road Safety Institute, in the face of an ever-increasing number of questions concerning the cognitive aspects of driving ability in their older clients, asked the Department of Developmental and Lifespan Psychology to investigate this issue in depth. This dissertation consists of three parts. The first part starts with a theoretical paper concerning age-sensitive cognitive/neuropsychological functions related to car driving. In this part, the rationale for the research approach and the selection of tests are described in detail. The second part consists of four papers which have been submitted for publication in international journals. In this part, the entire project with its different research phases is discussed. It must be mentioned that the study was preceded by a pilot study involving 26 participants to evaluate and adjust the entire procedure. The third part consists of a research summary and general conclusion, which is published as a chapter in a book. (Author/publisher)
Abstract