Driving records (1987 to 1990) for 7500 class 5 (automobile) permit holders aged between 70 and 85 years were collected from different files (permit holders, medical, infractions, demerit points, crashes) of the public insurer for injuries (SAAQ). The aim is to answer the following question: Do older drivers (aged 70 to 85) with certain vision problems have a worse driving record than healthy ones of the same age? The health status was cross-validated with additional information from the Quebec (Canada) provincial health insurance (RAMQ). Up to six groups with specific vision problems, mainly low acuity (for instance 20/40 or 20/50 for the best eye) and visual field reduction, were retained for comparisons with a corresponding healthy group with good vision, separately for women and for men. The study has shown that among the elderly drivers who have visual problems a few cohorts registered more crashes than their controls of the same age group with normal vision. For this latter, their accident rate per driver was low, particularly for women. Older drivers tend to adjust their driving behaviour in accordance with their limitations. The results do not support relaxing further the regulation for the elderly driver.
Abstract