Citation

Maag U, Joly P, Gagnon R, Desjardins D, Messier S, Laberge-Nadeau C. Annu. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. 1996; 40: 317-334.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Driving records (1987 to 1990) for 7,500 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) to answer the following question: Do older drivers (70 to 85) with certain vision problems have a worse driving record than healthy ones of the same age? After cross validation of the health status with additional information from the Quebec provincial health insurance (RAMQ), up to six groups with specific vision problems, mainly low acuity (e.g., 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. Straightforward comparisons of the mean number of crashes per year and count data regression models (Poisson regression and generalizations) were used. Explanatory variables included health status, age and risk exposure obtained through a telephone survey. The results show that in general the mean rates of crashes per year per permit holder for groups with vision problems are very similar to the means of the corresponding groups of healthy permit holders. However, the count data regression models indicates that a few cohorts of older drivers with vision problems register a higher crash risk than their controls: women (permit holders) aged 76 to 80 with vision 20/40 and 0 registered a crash risk of 2.59, those with other eye problems 3.65, and even, 4.05 for the non respondents. The risks for men aged 68 to 75 when taking into account risk exposure are 1.62 (20/50 and 20/100, or 20/200) and 1.36 (20/40 and 0). Older drivers tend to adjust their driving behavior in accordance with their limitations. Our results which have shown higher risk ratios for some cohorts do not support relaxing further the regulations for the elderly driver.

Language: en