Seniors more likely to make dangerous driving errors--study

Though getting older doesn’t automatically turn people into bad drivers, experts believe there are certain normal changes that can affect driving skills as we age.

Perfectly healthy senior with a history of safe motoring records are more prone to making crucial mistakes behind the wheel, finds a new study.

Co-author of the study, Dr Kaarin J. Anstey, a psychologist who directs the Aging Research Unit at Australian National University stated, “All types of driving errors increased with age, and the errors weren't restricted to a small group of unsafe drivers or those with a history of crashes.

“It is important to note that there is a large variation in cognitive ability, so some people still have a high level of functioning in later life even if they have suffered some cognitive declines related to normal aging.”

Study details
In order to determine whether seniors are more likely to make driving mistakes, and have more “close calls” than other drivers, the researchers conducted study.

Anstey stated, "We wanted to develop evidence-based measures for detecting unsafe older drivers and show how specific cognitive abilities relate to different types of driving errors.”

They enrolled 266 volunteers in the age bracket of 70 to 88 years. All the participants were seasoned drivers who drove at least once a week, lived independently, and exhibited no signs of dementia.

The volunteers undertook a series of cognitive tests and a questionnaire pertaining to their driving history.

The subjects then went on a 12-mile drive through city streets in Brisbane, Queensland, accompanied with a driving instructor.

As a precautionary measure, the car was fitted with an extra brake on the passenger side and an occupational therapist rode in the backseat to assess the errors made by the drivers during the ride.

Revelations of the study
During the test drives, 17 percent of drivers made mistakes deemed potentially dangerous. These included failing to check blind spots, speeding, abrupt braking, veering and tailgating, prompting the instructor to hit the brake or take control of the steering wheel to avoid collision.

The study found people aged 85-89 years made four times the mistakes than those in ages 70-74. The youngest drivers made less than one crucial error whereas the oldest on an average made almost four critical mistakes.

Both men and women made the same number of errors in the driving test. The most common mistake were blind spots followed by veering in opposite directions and failing to follows signals properly.

Though, there were no bang ups during the study, it was noted that the most critical errors were made by drivers who had been in an accident in the last five years.

A plausible explanation
Experts theorize that normal changes with age like stiffness of joints, failing eyesight and hearing, slower reflexes and attention span can affect driving ability.

Hence, training programs and screening as a pre-requisite for elderly drivers as well as good roads and better signs could cut down the rate of errors.

“We need evidence-based driver screening tests along with training for older drivers and alternative transportation for those who can no longer drive safely,” Anstey concluded.

The study has been published in the journal 'Neuropsychology.'