Citation

Rosenbloom S. Transp. Res. Rec. 2007; 2009: 15-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3141/2009-03

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper is based on one part of a major study in the United Kingdom of the driving problems of older people. It addresses two key issues: first, the differences between how older people view their own driving skills and what adult children think of their older relatives as drivers and, second, the influence of adult children on their older relatives' driving behavior--either improving their skills or ceasing driving entirely. The study showed that most older people viewed themselves as good drivers but that most adult children of older drivers did not feel that those drivers drove safely. Most older people said that their children did not comment on their driving. Those who did admit that their families criticized their driving largely felt that those criticisms were unwarranted. Adult children reported that discussions with their parents about driving were often acrimonious without any positive results. There were substantial differences between male and female older drivers on all these issues. When asked if there were ways to improve the driving of older people, neither older drivers nor adult children knew about techniques that could enhance their driving rather than reduce their exposure or cease driving entirely. All these findings suggest that ( a ) strategies to encourage better or safer driving may have to be differentially targeted to men and women and ( b ) there is a need to promote those techniques that improve older driver performance or crash outcomes.

Language: en