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The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility Issues

This research project aims to investigate the safety and mobility issues faced by mature drivers in New Jersey, specifically focusing on the age group of 65 and older. The study will analyze national data on accident rates and explore ways to enhance safety for this population. Factors such as visual, cognitive, and psychomotor abilities, as well as health conditions and the effects of medication, will be examined. The research will also explore skill enhancement programs and state licensing policies related to mature drivers.

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The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility Issues

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  1. Principal Investigators: Naomi G. Rotter New Jersey Institute of Technology Claire McKnight City College of New York Research Assistants: Shaikh Rahman, NJIT Ruth Mateo, CCNY Project Monitor: Ken Stevenson, NJDOT Client: W. Patrick Scheffer, NJDOT NJDOT Research Month NJIT Week, October 16-20, 2000 The Mature Driver, Safety & Mobility Issues

  2. The Research Problem • Given an increasing population of the age group 65 and older, is there a safety problem on the roads in New Jersey? • National data show inconsistent findings: • A higher accident rate, per miles driven, for the older driver category. • In absolute numbers, older drivers have fewest crashes of all types. • If there is a problem, what can be done to increase safety?

  3. Source: Traffic Safety Facts 1998, R&D - National Center for Statistics & Analysis

  4. Source: Traffic Safety Facts 1998, R&D - National Center for Statistics & Analysis

  5. Visual Cognitive Psychomotor Abilities Health Factors Medical Problems Effects of Medication Driving Related Abilities

  6. About 90 % of all information needed for driving is visual Age related declines in visual abilities Visual acuity both static and dynamic Sensitivity to contrasts Ability to adapt to light and dark Increased sensitivity to glare Reduced peripheral vision Visual Abilities

  7. Driving requires the ability to attend to and react to multiple visual cues and operate controls. Age related cognitive declines Selected and vided attention Increase in distractibility Information processing time Reaction time Cognitive maps and way-finding skills deteriorate Cognitive Abilities

  8. Operating a car depends on the ability to respond physically to visual and to auditory signals. Age related declines in psychomotor abilities Reaction time slows due to cognitive changes Health related problems slow reaction time. Psychomotor Abilities

  9. Medical Conditions: Heart disease, Syncope, Stroke, Diabetes, & Alzheimer’s/Dementia Effects of medications: Psychoactive drugs (tranquilizers, mood elevators, sleeping pills, etc.) effect CNS which in turn effects sensation, movement & thinking, Anti-hypertensives show mixed results on crash risk Health Factors

  10. Skill Enhancement Programs 55 alive/ Mature Driving, an AARP program Safe Driving for Mature Operators, an AAA program Coaching Mature Drivers, National Safety Council program Self- Monitoring Less likely to drive during peak periods Less likely to use freeways Less likely to drive in adverse weather conditions Less likely to drive at night Skill Enhancement and Self-Monitoring for Safety

  11. 27 State have no special provisions. These include FL, NY, NJ, TX, OH 12 States have accelerated renewal period after a driver passes age 65 or 70 11 States have other provisions such as no mail renewal, vision tests, or road tests State Licensing Policies

  12. An examination of accident data in New Jersey. This approach will look at age in relation to a number of other factors. A survey of state DMVs to ascertain what changes are being considered to deal with safety issues for mature drivers. Research Design

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