Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T13:57:17.142Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Naturalistic Study of Winter Driving Practices by Older Men and Women: Examination of Weather, Road Conditions, Trip Purposes, and Comfort*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2011

Anita M. Myers ,
Aileen Trang  and
Alexander M. Crizzle
Anita M. Myers*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo
Aileen Trang
Affiliation:
Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo
Alexander M. Crizzle
Affiliation:
Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo
*
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: Anita M. Myers, Ph.D., Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada ([email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Most studies on seniors’ driving practices are based on self-reports; none have objectively examined winter driving patterns. We used electronic devices, together with trip logs, digital maps, and weather archives, to examine the driving patterns of seniors aged 65 to 91 over two consecutive weeks between November 2008 and March 2009. Night driving differed by month showing the importance of seasonal factors, particularly the amount of daylight. Although 69 per cent of the sample drove on days with adverse conditions, seniors were significantly more likely to make trips for social/entertainment purposes on days with good weather, and out-of-town trips on days with good road conditions. Driving comfort scores, particularly for night driving, were significantly related to multiple indicators of exposure and patterns, including radius from home. Compared to men, women had significantly lower driving comfort scores and were less likely to drive on days with adverse weather and road conditions.

Résumé

La plupart des études sur les pratiques de conduite des aînés sont basées sur des données d’autoévaluation ; aucune n’a examiné objectivement leurs habitudes de conduite hivernale. Nous avons utilisé des appareils électroniques associés à des journaux de voyages, des cartes numériques et des archives météorologiques, afin d’examinerétudier les modes de conduite des personnes âgées de 65 à 91 sur deux semaines consécutives entre novembre 2008 et mars 2009. La conduite de nuit différait selon le mois, montrant l’importance des facteurs saisonniers, en particulier la quantité de lumière du jour. Bien que 69 pour cent de notre échantillon ait conduit les jours de mauvais temps, les aînés ont montré être significativement plus susceptibles de faire des voyages à des fins sociales ou de divertissement les jours de beau temps, et ils ont entrepris des voyages plus longs les jours offrant de bonnes conditions routières. Les scores de confort de conduite, notamment pour la conduite de nuit, étaient liés de manière significative aux indicateurs multiples de l’exposition et des habitudes, y compris au rayon autour du domicile. Comparativement aux hommes, les femmes ont obtenu des scores de conduite significativement plus bas, et ont été moins susceptibles de conduire quand les conditions metéorologiques et routières étaient défavorables.

Keywords

comportement de conduiteaînésperceptionsdriving behaviourolder adultsperceptions
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 30 , Issue 4 , December 2011 , pp. 577 - 589
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2011

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.)

Footnotes

*

Student support for Trang and Crizzle was provided by the Canadian Driving Research Initiative for Vehicular Safety in the Elderly (Candrive) and the Auto21 Network of Centres of Excellence. We also thank Robin Blanchard, Michelle Porter, and Brenda Vrkljan, as well as all the study participants.

References

Andrey, J. (2010). Long-term trends in weather-related crash risks. Journal of Transport Geography, 18, 247–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baldock, M.R.J., Mathias, J.L., McLean, A.J., & Berndt, A. (2006). Self-regulation and its relationship to driving ability among older adults. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 38(5), 1038–1045.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ball, K.K., Owsley, C., Stalvey, B., Roenker, D.L., Sloane, M.E., & Graves, M. (1998). Driving avoidance and functional impairment in older drivers. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 30(3), 313–322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blanchard, R.A., & Myers, A.M. (2010). Examination of driving comfort and self-regulatory practices in older adults using in-vehicle devices to assess natural driving patterns. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 42, 1213–1219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blanchard, R.A., Myers, A.M., & Porter, M.M. (2010). Correspondence between self-reported and objective measures of driving exposure and patterns in older drivers. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 42, 523–529.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Charlton, J.L., Oxley, J., Fildes, B., Oxley, P., Newstead, S., Koppel, S., et al. . (2006). Characteristics of older drivers who adopt self-regulatory driving behaviours. Transportation Research Part F, 9(5), 363–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collia, D.V., Sharp, J., & Giesbrecht, L. (2003). The 2001 National Household Travel Survey: A look into the travel patterns of older Americans. Journal of Safety Research, 34, 461–470.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cooper, P.J. (1990). Elderly drivers’ views of self and driving in relation to the evidence of accident data. Journal of Safety Research, 21(3), 103–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dickerson, A.E., Molnar, L.J., Eby, D.W., Adler, G., Bédard, M., Berg-Weger, M., et al. . (2007). Transportation and aging: A research agenda for advancing safe mobility. The Gerontologist, 5, 578–590.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dobbs, B.M. (2008). Aging baby boomers—A blessing or challenge for driver licensing authorities. Traffic Injury Prevention, 9, 379–386.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eby, D.W., & Molnar, L.J. (2009). Older adult safety and mobility: Issues and research needs. Public Works Management & Policy, 13(4), 288–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, J.D., Perkins, M., Ross, L.A., & Reynolds, S.L. (2009). Driving status and three-year mortality among community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 64(2), 300–305.Google ScholarPubMed
Grabowski, D.C., Campbell, C.M., & Morrisey, M.A. (2004). Elderly licensure laws and motor vehicle fatalities. Journal of the American Medical Association, 291(23), 2840–2846.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grengs, J., Wang, X., & Kostyniuk, L.P. (2008). Exploiting GPS data to understand driving behavior. Journal of Urban Technology, 15, 33–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hakamies-Blomqvist, L., & Wahlstrom, B. (1998). Why do older drivers give up driving? Analysis & Prevention, 30(3), 305–312.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Holmbäck, A.M., Porter, M.M., Downham, D., & Lexell, J. (1999). Reliability of isokinetic ankle dorsiflexor strength measurements in healthy young men and women. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine, 31, 229–239.Google ScholarPubMed
Hopkins, R.W., Kilik, L., Day, D., Rows, C., & Tseng, H. (2004). Driving and dementia in Ontario: A quantitative assessment of the problem. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 49, 424–438.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huebner, K., Porter, M.M., & Marshall, S.C. (2006). Validation of an electronic device for measuring driving exposure. Traffic Injury Prevention, 7, 76–80.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, E.J. (1999). Urban older adults and the forfeiture of a driver’s license. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 25(12) 12–18.Google ScholarPubMed
Johnson, J.E. (2002). Why rural elders drive against advice. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 19(4), 237–244.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Keall, M.D., & Frith, W.J. (2004). Older driver crash rates in relation to type and quantity of travel. Traffic Injury Prevention, 5, 26–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kilpelainen, M., & Summala, H. (2007). Effects of weather and weather forecasts on driver behaviour. Transportation Research Part F, 288–299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kostyniuk, L.P., & Molnar, L.J. (2008). Self-regulatory driving practices among older adults: Health, age and sex effects. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 40, 1576–1580.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lajunen, T., & Summala, H. (2003). Can we trust self-reports of driving? Effects of impression management on driver behaviour questionnaire responses. Transportation Research Part F, 6, 97–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langford, J., & Koppel, S. (2006). The case for and against mandatory age-based assessment of older drivers. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 9, 353–362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langford, J., Methorst, R., & Hakamies-Blomqvist, L. (2006). Older drivers do not have a high crash risk—A replication of low mileage bias. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 38, 574–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacDonald, L.M., Myers, A.M., & Blanchard, R.A. (2008). Correspondence among older drivers’ perceptions, abilities, and behaviors. Topics of Geriatric Rehabilitation, 24(3), 239–252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marottoli, R.A., Mendes de Leon, C.F., Glass, T.A., Williams, C.S., Cooney, L.M., Berkman, L.F., et al. . (1997). Driving cessation and increased depressive symptoms: Prospective evidence from the New Haven EPESE. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 45, 202–206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marottoli, R.A., Mendes de Leon, C.F., Glass, T.A., Williams, C.S., Cooney, L.M., & Berkman, L.F. (2000). Consequences of driving cessation: Decreased out-of-home activity levels. Journal of Gerontology, 55B(6), S334–S340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marottoli, R.A., & Richardson, E.D. (1998). Confidence in, and self-rating of, driving ability among older drivers. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 30(3), 331–336.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marshall, S.C., Man-Son-Hing, M., Molnar, F.J., Wilson, K.G., & Blair, R. (2007). The acceptability to older drivers of different types of licensing restrictions. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 39, 776–793.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, S.C., Wilson, K.G., Molnar, F.J., Man-Son-Hing, M., Stiell, I., & Porter, M.M. (2007). Measurement of driving patterns of older adults using data logging devices with and without global positioning system capability. Traffic Injury Prevention, 8, 260–266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Molnar, L.J., & 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.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Myers, A.M., Paradis, J., & Blanchard, R. (2008). Conceptualizing and measuring driving confidence in older adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89, 630–640.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newbold, K.B., Scott, D.M., Spinney, J.E.L., Kanaroglou, P., & Páez, A. (2005). Travel behaviour within Canada’s older population: A cohort analysis. Journal of Transport Geography, 13, 340–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Owens, D.A., Wood, J.M., & Owens, J.M. (2007). Effects of age and illumination on night driving: A road test. Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 49(6), 1115–1131.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Oxley, J., Charlton, J., Scully, J., & Koppel, S. (2010). Older female drivers: An emerging transport safety and mobility issue in Australia. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 42, 515–522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Preusser, D.F., Williams, A.F., Ferguson, S.A., Ulmer, R.G., & Weinstein, H.B. (1998). Fatal crash risk for older drivers at intersections. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 30, 151–159.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rudman, D., Friedland, J., Chipman, M., & Sciortino, P. (2006). Holding on and letting go: The perspectives of pre-seniors and seniors on driving self-regulation in later life. Canadian Journal on Aging, 25(1), 65–76.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ryan, G.A., Legge, M., & Rosman, D. (1998). Age related changes in drivers’ crash risk and crash type. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 30, 379–387.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sabback, F., & Mann, W.C. (2005). The influence of climate and road conditions on driving patterns in the elderly population. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 23(2/3), 63–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Satariano, W.A., MacLeod, K.E., Cohn, T.E., & Ragland, D.R. (2004). Problems with vision associated with limitations or avoidance of driving in older populations. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 59(5), S281–S286.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scott, D.M., Newbold, K.B., Spinney, J.E.L., Mercado, R., Páez, A., & Kanaroglou, P.S. (2009). New insights into senior travel behaviour: The Canadian experience. Growth and Change, 40(1), 140–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shrout, P.E., & Fleiss, J.L. (1979). Intraclass correlations: Uses in assessing rater reliability. Psychological Bulletin, 86, 420–428.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Staplin, L., & Dinh-Zarr, B. (2006). Promoting rehabilitation of safe driving abilities through computer-based clinical and personal screening techniques. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 22(2), 129–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turcotte, M. (2006). Seniors’ access to transportation. Canadian Social Trends, 82, 43–50.Google Scholar
Zhang, J., Lindsay, J., Clarke, K., Robbins, G., & Mao, Y. (2000). Factors affecting the severity of motor vehicle crashes involving elderly drivers in Ontario. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 32, 117–125.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed