[Driver Attitude] [Older Drivers] [Licensing Older Drivers]
[Ergonomic Intro] [HF & Litigation] [HF Consulting]
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Last updated 17 July 1997
Erik C. B. Olsen, M.S.
Older drivers represent the most rapidly growing segment of the driving
population and continue to drive as long as possible (Ball & Owsley, 1991). In
viewing the issue of driver license restrictions, one often sites age as a key factor in
driving ability. It is well know that certain changes in vision, hearing, and
information processing could cause problems for older drivers (Cavanaugh, 1993).
Human factors driving research has brought about many improvements for elderly
drivers - improvements which benefit drivers of all ages as well.
One reason for considering driver license restrictions is because many people
are killed each year. Taylor (1994) reports that of the accidental deaths, about half are
motor vehicle accidents. Nearly 50,000 people die each year in car crashes. On an
average day, about 130 people die in car crashes. Contrast this data with the
minimal amount of airline accidents. Although the news media may try to portray
a poor flying record of pilots, the number of deaths from "air and space transport
accidents" has been less than 1000 per year in the 1990's - that's about one-twentieth
of 1 percent of all deaths in a year. Still, with this low accident rate, airline pilots
have age-based barriers, and semi-annual testing. Yet for drivers, where every 11
minutes someone dies from a motor-vehicle accident (Olsen 1993a) merely sending
in your $12 fee with your completed questionnaire (2 questions) allows you to renew
your driver license by mail in California. According to NHTSA (1994) older
individuals made up 13 percent of all traffic fatalities in 1993.
Driving license restriction is very controversial. On one hand, as we heard
during our high school driver's education classes, "Driving is privilege, not a right."
This is being challenged every day by seniors who are being lumped into a group
who "needs to be regulated." There are three main reasons to study age and driver
licensing.
For one, the group of older drivers is quickly growing. By the year 2020, 17%
of population will be 65+ with 50 million eligible older drivers - 1/2 of these will be
over 75 years old (Waller, 1991). A second reason to question age based license
restrictions is because it seems that older drivers have a higher fatality rate than
most other groups; the number of crashes involving older drivers as compared to
the number of licensed older drivers indicated a higher risk for this group;
analyzing the crash risk per mile driven indicates that older drivers are the most
hazardous (Waller, 1991). A third factor to consider in studying driver license
restrictions is the need for continuance of mobility and driving for an independent
style of living. According to a longitudinal study by Jette and Branch (1992), a
substantial proportion of older drivers continues to rely on the automobile as their
primary source of transportation until well into their 80's; driving an automobile is
the preferred mode of travel for mobility and independence.
There are many arguments for and against restricting older drivers. Let's first
consider some of the reasons for restriction by looking at more personal case studies,
that may well complement the previously sighted accidents statistics.
It is not uncommon to see shocking headlines which portray "old Granny
Driver" as incompetent. Pick up a newspaper and read about how an elderly
woman plowed into a bus stop full of innocent citizens. Another case describes how
an older man uses the white road markings on the right side of the road as his
"target" to keep his wheels on the road (Brokow and Couric, 1994). Yet another story
was recently heard of a blind man who drives - "he just counts the number of drive
ways he drives over as he makes his way to the store," (personal communication,
October, 1994).
A recent panelist (Andre, 1994) presented his own personal story of his
ninety-two year old grandfather who "has trouble giving directions to his own
home." He described the mobility and social needs met by being able to drive, but
ended his presentation by informing the audience that he and his family had finally
persuaded his grandfather to give up driving. The overall feeling of when to begin
restricting driving may have been best stated by an elderly Nashville man during
one of a series of older driver focus groups (personal communication, October 1994)
who said "80 is the age."
One reason that people, such as the Nashville man, feel driving should be
restricted later in life, is based on well known degradation that corresponds to aging.
For instance, there is, on average, a 20 percent difference in reaction time (RT)
between 20-year olds and 60-year olds, and older drivers have trouble reacting
quickly in task-complex situations (Olsen, 1993b). It is also well documented that
older drivers have trouble with a number of driving tasks including changing lanes,
intersections, night driving, other vehicles appearing unexpectedly, and reading
signs. (Kosnik, Sekuler, & Kline, 1990 (as cited in Wood & Troutbeck, 1994); Kline,
Kline, Forzard, Kosnik, Shieber, & Sekuler), 1992.)
There are many arguments against age-related driver license restrictions as
well. For instance, although it is argued that as we age our cognitive, visual, and
physical abilities may become impaired, it is well known that older drivers actively
display "actions and attitudes that make up for impairments in critical driving
skills" (Andre, 1992). These are referred to as compensatory behaviors. Andre
further argues that "while accident records have long been used to differentiate
'good' from 'bad' drivers, they have equally long been regarded as unreliable for
such use, primarily because they provide little or no information as to the
competency of the driver during 'normal' conditions. Hence, accidents are merely a
random subset of normal driving errors and incidents." Many older drivers limit
their to times when the risk is reduced, e.g., daylight hours in light traffic (Ball &
Owsley, 1991). It seems that older drivers are aware of their limitations and do a
fairly good job of regulating their driving.
Arbitrary age restrictions are unlikely to be placed on drivers. However age
based evaluations are currently applied in 11 states and the District of Columbia.
Some claim that this is unconstitutional. In an attempt to pass legislation
increasing the amount of required driver license testing in Florida, a woman
recommended that increased testing begin at age forty. She believed that choosing
this age (which is also used as a cut-off for employment age discrimination) would
enable this to "slide on through" the system. To her embarrassment, she was highly
criticized for her bold proposal (personal communication, October 1994). I'm sure
the Association for the Advancement for Retired Persons (AARP) would have
something to say about such a proposal as well. For a similar case, Odenheimer,
Beaudet, Jette, Albert, Grande, & Minaker (1994) state that there are age-based
barriers for commercial airline pilots, yet school bus drivers have successfully
fought similar attempts to limit their employment on the basis of age.
My personal beliefs have been largely influenced by my investigation into
this issue of age and driver licensing restrictions. Although I agree and sympathize
with many older drivers, I feel that although legally, driving is a "privilege" it
becomes a right in that good drivers (or at least those who don't commit automobile
manslaughter) earn the right to continue driving. As concerned researchers, we
have a responsibility to educate all drivers of the potential problems associated with
age. Clinton's proposed health care reform program had better consider the elderly
in many accounts; our doctors need more education (beginning in medical school)
as to how to treat and older patients. This may include making "driving
prescriptions" or recommendations to patients who they feel may need to be more
aware of their cognitive and physical limitations in relation to driving. Doctors also
need more education as to how to inform their elderly driving patients, whose
reliance on prescription drugs (and alcohol), is increasingly high. Another huge
issue is the right to privacy afforded to anyone visiting their doctor; are there cases
where a doctor may need to report a potentially dangerous driver the Department of
Motor Vehicles for further evaluation? Some states even require doctors to do so.
Assessment centers, where driver evaluators are easily accessible (and affordable)
need to available for doctor referral and public use. People need more education as
well. For instance how does one know when to stop driving? What are the tell-tale
signs of driving-related degradation.
Older drivers need and want to maintain their independence and mobility for
as long as possible. While there are alternatives to driving in some states and
communities, more resources need to be allocated toward alternatives. Some ideas
include, co-pilot training. Such training may allow elders to "drive with a
companion" who helps to navigate the their point of arrival (pilots do it, maybe
drivers could too.). "Community cars programs" could be implemented in some
communities, where people who decide they no longer should drive donate their
car to a community center or program so that volunteers or employees use the car to
transport people; this sort of program is being experimented with in at least one
community - although I am unsure of the results, the preliminary reports seemed
positive. More resources need to be funneled into these types of creative programs.
In regards to how my opinions affect how I treat the aging relatives in my
family I don't have much personal experience - yet. Fortunately for me, my
relatives have either stopped driving, or continue to be able to drive. I suppose
when and if it comes down to it, I will make myself available to transport family
and friends if possible. Again, we are indeed fortunate. Living in an area where
public transportation is available (and being improved) has strong promise. Also,
having a financially stable and "educated" family seems to give me hope that our
future transportation needs can be met by public transportation (bus, train, taxi) or
other creative means. I definitely feel for those whose reliance on the automobile is
exceedingly high, especially if they live in a rural or country area.
This paper has attempted to at least partially address the issue of age and driving license removal or restriction. We are all aging and most of us drive. We ourselves, and our friends and relatives will undoubtedly have to address this issue on a personal level. At what age, and for what reasons, should older person's driving licenses be taken away? Now, that's a really good question.
Andre, A. D. (1994, 26 October). On the need for understanding the evolution
of the older driver. Panel presentation at the Human Factors and Ergonomics
Society 38th Annual Meeting, Nashville.
Ball, K, and Owsley, C. (1991). Identifying correlates of accident involvement
for the older driver. Human Factors, 33(5), 583-595.
Brokow, T., and Couric, K. (Hosts). (1994, February 9, 9:00 pm) Now.
(television special on older drivers).
Cavanaugh, J. C. (1993). Adult development and aging (2nd ed.).
Brooks/Cole: Belmont.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (1994). Traffic
safety facts 1993: Older population. Washington, D. C.
Odenheimer, G. L., Beaudet, M., Jette, A. M., Albert, M. S., Grande, L., and
Minaker, K. L. (1994). Performance-based driving evaluation of the elderly driver:
Safety, reliability, and validity. Journal of Gerontology, 49 (4), M153-M159.
Olsen, E. C. B. (1993a). Driver attitude: The aggressive and defensive styles.
Unpublished manuscript.
Olsen, E. C. B. (1993b). Graying drivers: A representative literature review
of reaction time and older drivers. Unpublished manuscript.
Taylor, T. (1994, September 13). Commentary: An air crash is the least of your
worries. The San Jose Mercury News, p. 7B.
Waller, P. F. (1991). The older driver. Human Factors, 33(5), 499-505.
Wood, J. M., and Troutbeck, R. J. (1994). Investigation of the effect of age and
visual impairment on driving and vision performance, Paper 940339 (preprint).
Transportation Research Board. Washington, D.C.
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