December 2015

Self-Regulation of Driving by Older

Adults:A LongROAD Study

The LongROAD StudyThe LongROAD (Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers)

study:• Will generate the largest and most comprehensive

database about senior drivers in existence and will support in-depth studies of senior driving and mobility to better understand risks and develop effective countermeasures.

• Specific emphasis is being placed on issues related to medications, medical conditions, driving patterns, driving exposure, self-regulation, and crash risk, along with mobility options for older Americans who no longer drive.

The LongROAD Study• This multi-year prospective cohort study is being

conducted at 5 sites throughout the country, with 3,000 participants, tracking 5+ years of driving behaviors and medical conditions. The multidisciplinary team assembled to investigate this issue is led by experienced researchers from Columbia University, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and the Urban Institute.

The Situation

• Self-regulation - the modification of driving activity by driving less or avoiding challenging situations in response to declining abilities

• Self-regulation is being increasingly studied as a way to help older drivers maintain independence and extend the period over which they can safely drive

The Situation• Questions about self-regulation

• Can older drivers correctly adjust their driving in response to their age-related declines?

• What is the degree to which older drivers engage in self-regulatory behaviors?

• What factors affect self-regulation?• To what extent does self-regulation actually improve

safety and mobility for older drivers?

Objective

• To summarize the current state of the literature on self-regulation of driving among older adults

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Released in December 2015Part of the LongROAD study

Overview

• An extensive literature review of qualitative and quantitative and qualitative studies was conducted on previously published studies of self-regulation of driving by older drivers from 2009 onward• 100 studies met the inclusion criteria• 71 articles pre-2009 we also included

Key Findings

3 levels of self-regulation were identified• Strategic – decisions made by drivers

before they actually embark on a driving trip

• Tactical – practices that drivers engage in while they are actually on the road

• Life-goal – larger decisions in life affecting driving more indirectly

Factors Associated with Self-RegulationSociodemographic factors

• Sex – Older women tend to self-regulate their driving more than men

• Age – Driving self-regulation tends to increase with age• Household composition/living arrangements – mixed effects

• drivers who live alone were more than twice as likely to report limiting their driving

• another found that those drivers were also more likely to avoid highway and nighttime driving

• Other individual factors associated with self-regulation:• Negative attitudes towards driving, poor sense of direction, income

Factors Associated with Self-RegulationHealth and functioning factors

• Visual impairment –associated with increased self-regulation

• Cognitive impairment –drivers with cognitive impairment such as dementia do restrict their driving or stop driving altogether within a few yearsFamily members and caregivers play a

role in in imposing driving restrictions

Factors Associated with Self-Regulation

Awareness and insight• Individuals’ awareness of their abilities influences their

decisions to drive in challenging situations

Driving confidence and comfort• Perceptions of confidence and comfort in specific driving

situations are closely related to self-regulation

Factors Associated with Self-RegulationEnabling Factors

• Family and caregivers• Others dependent on their driving• Transportation support• Regulatory self-efficacy

Factors Associated with Self-RegulationBarriers to self-regulation• Lifestyle• Lack of availability for others to provide

transportation• Unwillingness to ask others for rides