Sleep Quality in Later Life: How Does It Affect Driving Safety?

Abstract

Drowsy driving is a major cause of motor vehicle injuries and fatalities, yet little is known about its impact on older adults. This group may face heightened risk due to age-related sleep issues. Using survey data from 3,411 Floridians aged 60 and older (collected in 2020/2021), we examined how self-rated sleep quality relates to two indicators of driving safety: frequency of self-reported distracted driving behaviors (e.g., texting, eating, and grooming) and involvement in a crash or near-crash in the past year. Regression results showed that poor sleep quality did not significantly predict distracted driving but was associated with increased odds of a crash or near-crash. Our findings, which partially align with studies of younger drivers, highlight the need to understand how the relationship between sleep and driving safety may change with age.

Keywords

transportation crash incidence distracted driving

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