This case study examines the exposure risk of Quebec drivers aged 68 and over in five different difficult driving situations. 307 cases were identified based on driving performance (three or more accidents or traffic violations over a 3-year period) and paired on a 2:1 basis according to age, sex and area (urban/rural) with a random-selected control group (clean driving record). The response rate to this mail survey was 60 per cent. Assumptions were validated using the logistic regression method. Results show that as drivers get older, they gradually give up driving in risky situations; regardless of age, the number of drivers who stop driving in drivers who stop driving in difficult conditions is proportionally higher in the control group. On the other hand, vulnerability would seem to increase with the exposure level. The analysis also shows that rural drivers are more vulnerable than urban drivers, regardless of exposure factors. Finally, the perception of health would seem to have little impact on the elderly drivers' performance. (A)
Abstract