Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T04:23:44.645Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Development of a novel driving behavior adaptations questionnaire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 January 2015

Rahel Bieri ,
Tobias Nef ,
René M. Müri  and
Urs P. Mosimann
Rahel Bieri
Affiliation:
Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 21, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland
Tobias Nef*
Affiliation:
Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 21, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 50, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland
René M. Müri
Affiliation:
Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 21, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland Perception and Eye Movement Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, University Hospital Inselspital, University of Bern, Inselspital, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland
Urs P. Mosimann
Affiliation:
Gerontechnology and Rehabilitation Group, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 21, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland University Hospital for Old Age Psychiatry, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 21, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Tobias Nef, PhD, Murtenstrasse 50, CH - 3010 Bern, Switzerland. Phone: +41 31 632 46 97; Fax: +41 31 632 89 44. Email: [email protected].
Get access

Abstract

Background:

Driving a car requires adapting one's behavior to current task demands taking into account one's capacities. With increasing age, driving-relevant cognitive performance may decrease, creating a need for risk-reducing behavioral adaptations. Three different kinds of behavioral adaptations are known: selection, optimization, and compensation. These can occur on the tactical and the strategic level. Risk-reducing behavioral adaptations should be considered when evaluating older drivers’ traffic-related risks.

Methods:

A questionnaire to assess driving-related behavioral adaptations in older drivers was created. The questionnaire was administered to 61 years older (age 65–87 years; mean age = 70.2 years; SD = 5.5 years; 30 female, 31 male) and 31 younger participants (age 22–55 years; mean age = 30.5 years; SD = 6.3 years; 16 female and 15 male) to explore age and gender differences in behavioral adaptations.

Results:

Two factors were extracted from the questionnaire, a risk-increasing factor and a risk-reducing factor. Group comparisons revealed significantly more risk-reducing behaviors in older participants (t(84.5) = 2.21, p = 0.013) and females (t(90) = 2.52, p = 0.014) compared, respectively, to younger participants and males. No differences for the risk-increasing factor were found (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

The questionnaire seems to be a useful tool to assess driving-related behavioral adaptations aimed at decreasing the risk while driving. The possibility to assess driving-related behavioral adaptations in a systematic way enables a more resource-oriented approach in the evaluation of fitness to drive in older drivers.

Keywords

behavioral adaptationsselectionoptimizationcompensationagedrivingfitness to drivegender
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 27 , Issue 6 , June 2015 , pp. 1017 - 1027
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aksan, N., Anderson, S. W., Dawson, J. D., Johnson, A. M., Uc, E. Y. and Rizzo, M. (2012). Cognitive functioning predicts driver safety on road tests 1 and 2 years later. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 60, 99–105.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aparasu, R. R. and Mort, J. R. (2004). Prevalence, correlates, and associated outcomes of potentially inappropriate psychotropic use in the community-dwelling elderly. American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, 2, 102–111.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baldock, M. R. J., Mathias, J. L., Mclean, A. J. and Berndt, A. (2006). Self-regulation of driving and its relationship to driving ability among older adults. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 38, 1038–1045.Google Scholar
Baltes, P. B. and Baltes, M. M. (1990). Psychological perspectives on successful aging: the model of selective optimization with compensation. In Baltes, P. B. and Baltes, M. M. (eds.), Successful Aging: Perspectives from the Behavioural Sciences (pp. 1–34). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bhatti, J. A. et al. (2008). Impact of retirement on risky driving behavior and attitudes towards road safety among a large cohort of french drivers (the GAZEL Cohort). Scandinaviona Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 34, 307–315.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bischoff, H. A. et al. (2003). Identifying a cut-off point for normal mobility: a comparison of the timed ‘up and go’ test in community-dwelling and institutionalized elderly women. Age and Ageing, 32, 315–320.Google Scholar
Charlton, J. L. et al. (2006). Characteristics of older drivers who adopt self-regulatory driving behaviours. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior, 9, 363–373.Google Scholar
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edn. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
D’Ambrosio, L. A., Donorfio, L. K. M., Coughlin, J.F., Mohyde, M. and Meyer, J. (2008). Gender differences in self-regulation patterns and attitudes toward driving among older adults. Journal of Women and Aging, 20, 265–282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Raedt, R. and Ponjaert-Kristoffersen, I. (2000). Can strategic and tactical compensation reduce crash risk in older drivers? Age and Ageing, 29, 517–521.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Donorfio, L. K., D’Ambrosio, L. A., Coughlin, J. F. and Mohyde, M. (2008). Health, safety, self-regulation and the older driver: it's not just a matter of age. Journal of Safety Research, 39, 555–561.Google Scholar
Eby, D. W., Molnar, L. J., Shope, J. T., Vivoda, J. M. and Fordyce, T. A. (2003). Improving older driver knowledge and self-awareness through self-assessment: the driving decisions workbook. Journal of Safety Research, 34, 371–381.Google Scholar
Freund, B., Colgrove, L. A., Burke, B. L. and McLeod, R. (2005). Self-rated driving performance among elderly drivers referred for driving evaluation. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 37, 613–618.Google Scholar
Fu, H. (2008). Identifying repeat DUI crash factors using state crash records. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 40, 2037–2042.Google Scholar
Hakamies-Blomqvist, L. (1994). Compensation in older drivers as reflected in their fatal accidents. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 26, 107–112.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hakamies-Blomqvist, L., Mynttinen, S., Backman, M. and Mikkonen, V. (1999). Age-related differences in driving: are older drivers more serial? International Journal of Behavioral Development, 23, 575–589.Google Scholar
Hakamies-Blomqvist, L., Wiklund, M. and Henriksson, P. (2005). Predicting older drivers’ accident involvement - Smeed's law revisited. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 37, 675–680.Google Scholar
Hardies, K., Breesch, D. and Branson, J. (2013). Gender differences in overconfidence and risk taking: do self-selection and socialization matter? Economics Letters, 118, 442–444.Google Scholar
Harré, N. (2000). Risk evaluation, driving, and adolescents: a typology. Developmental Review, 20, 206–226.Google Scholar
Jette, A. M. and Branch, L. G. (1992). A ten-year follow-up of driving patterns among the community-dwelling elderly. Human Factors, 34, 25–31.Google Scholar
Lajunen, T. and Summala, H. (2003). Can we trust self-reports of driving? Effects of impression management on driver behaviour questionnaire responses. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior, 6, 97–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langford, J. and Koppel, S. (2006). Epidemiology of older driver crashes - Identifying older driver risk factors and exposure patterns. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 9, 309–321.Google Scholar
Lococo, K. H. and Staplin, L. (2006). Literature Review of Polypharmacy and Older Drivers: Identifying Strategies to Study Drug usage and Driving Functioning Among Older Drivers. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.Google Scholar
Lourens, P. F., Vissers, J. A. and Jessurun, M. (1999). Annual mileage, driving violations, and accident involvement in relation to drivers’ sex, age, and level of education. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 31, 593–597.Google Scholar
MacDonald, L., Myers, A. M. and Blanchard, R. A. (2008). Correspondence among older drivers’ perceptions, abilities, and behaviors. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 24, 239–252.Google Scholar
Marottoli, R. A., Ostfeld, A. M., Merrill, S. S., Perlman, G. D., Foley, D. J. and Cooney, L. M. (1993). Driving cessation and changes in mileage driven among elderly individuals. Journal of Gerontology, 48, 255–260.Google Scholar
Marottoli, R. A. and Richardson, E. D. (1998). Confidence in, and self-rating of, driving ability among older drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 30, 331–336.Google Scholar
Michon, J. A. (1979). Dealing with Danger. Groningen, NL: Traffic Research Centre, University of Groningen.Google Scholar
Molnar, L. J. and Eby, D. W. (2008). The relationship between self-regulation and driving-related abilities in older drivers: an exploratory study. Traffic Injury Prevention, 9, 314–319.Google Scholar
Nasreddine, Z. S. et al. (2005). The montreal cognitive assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53, 695–699.Google Scholar
Nasvadi, E. N. and Vavrik, J. (2007). Crash risk of older drivers after attending a mature driver education program. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 39, 1073–1079.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Naughton, C., Bennett, K. and Feely, J. (2006). Regional variation in prescribing for chronic conditions among an elderly population using a pharmacy claims database. Irish Journal of Medical Sciences, 175, 32–39.Google Scholar
Okonkwo, O. C., Crowe, M., Wadley, V. G. and Ball, K. (2008). Visual attention and self-regulation of driving among older adults. International Psychogeriatrics, 20, 162–173.Google Scholar
Pickard, J. G., Tan, J., Morrow-Howell, N. and Yunkyung, J. (2009). Older drivers retiring from the road: an application of the selection, optimization, and compensation model. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 19, 213–229.Google Scholar
Rieker, P. P. and Bird, C. E. (2005). Rethinking gender differences in health: why we need to integrate social and biological perspectives. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 60, 40–47.Google Scholar
Ross, L. A., Dodson, J. E., Edwards, J. D., Ackerman, M. L. and Ball, K. (2012). Self-rated driving and driving safety in older adults. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 48, 523–527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stalvey, B. T. and Owsley, C. (2000). Self-perceptions and current practices of high-risk older drivers: implications for driver safety interventions. Journal of Health Psychology, 5, 441–456.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trick, L. M., Toxopeus, R. and Wilson, D. (2010). The effects of visibility conditions, traffic density, and navigational challenge on speed compensation and driving performance in older adults. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 42, 1661–1671.Google Scholar
Vance, D. E., Roenker, D. L., Cissell, G. M., Edwards, J. D., Wadley, V. G. and Ball, K. K. (2006). Predictors of driving exposure and avoidance in a field study of older drivers from the state of Maryland. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 38, 823–831.Google Scholar
Windsor, T. D., Anstey, K. J. and Walker, J. G. (2008). Ability perceptions, perceived control, and risk avoidance among male and female older drivers. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 63, 75–83.Google Scholar