Driving is a complex and valued instrumental activity of daily living, which is associated with a person's freedom, independence and autonomy. With an ageing population and various cohort effects, the number of older drivers is increasing at a nearly exponential rate. While drivers over the age of 65 years have attracted media and research attention because of accident statistics, research has also begun to focus on the outcomes for older people giving up driving.
The outcomes of older people driving or giving up driving need to be considered by occupational therapists because of the potential impact on quality of life, life roles, independence and safety. Occupational therapists must be aware of legislation pertaining to older drivers and health professionals, although this is complicated by the fact that it differs between and within countries. This literature review aims to investigate the issues associated with older drivers and with driving cessation and the implications for occupational therapists.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdlerGRottundaSKuskowskiM (1999) Dementia and driving: Perceptions and changing habits. Clinical Rehabilitation, 20, 23–34.
2.
AdlerGRottundaSRasmussenKKuskowskiM (2000) Caregivers dependent upon drivers with dementia. Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 6, 83–90.
3.
AlicandriERobinsonMPenneyT (1999) Designing highways with older drivers in mind. Public Roads, May/June, 18–23.
4.
AndersenGJCisnerosJSaidpourAAtchleyP (2000) Age-related differences in collision detection during deceleration. Psychology and Aging, 15, 241–52.
5.
Australian Transport Council (2001) National Road Safety Action Plan, 2001 and 2002. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services, Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
6.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau (2000) Never-licensed motorists. Monograph 1. Canberra: Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
7.
Austroads (2001) Assessing fitness to drive. 2nd ed.Sydney: Austroads.
8.
BallKOwsleyCStalveyBTRoenkerDLSloaneMEGravesM (1998) Driving avoidance and functional impairment in older drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 30, 313–22.
9.
BarnesMPHoyleEA (1995) Driving assessment – a case of need. Clinical Rehabilitation, 9, 115–20.
10.
BlairSEE (2000) The centrality of occupation during life transitions. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63, 231–37.
11.
BonnelWB (1999) Giving up the car: Older women's losses and experiences. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 37, 10–15.
12.
BurnsPC (1999) Navigation and the mobility of older drivers. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 54, 49–55.
13.
Burton-DannerKOwsleyCJacksonGR (2001) Aging and feature search: The effect of search area. Experimental Aging Research, 27, 1–18.
14.
CableGReisnerMGergesSThirumavalavanV (2000) Knowledge, attitudes and practices of geriatricians regarding patients with dementia who are potentially dangerous automobile drivers: A national survey. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 48, 14–17.
15.
CampbellMKBushTLHaleWE (1993) Medical conditions associated with driving cessation in community-dwelling, ambulatory elders. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 48, 230–34.
16.
CobbRWCoughlinJF (1998) Are elderly drivers a road hazard? Problem definition and political impact. Journal of Aging Studies, 12, 411–23.
17.
De RaedtRPonjaert-KristoffersenI (2001) Predicting at-fault car accidents of older drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 33, 809–19.
18.
DellingerAMSehgalMSleetDABarrett-ConnorE (2001) Driving cessation: What older former drivers tell us. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 49, 431–35.
19.
EberhardJ W (1998) Driving is transportation for most older adults. Geriatrics, 53, 53–55.
20.
EisenhandlerSA (1990) The asphalt identikit: Old age and the driver's licence. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 30, 1–14.
21.
EvansL (2000) Risks older drivers face themselves and threats they pose to other road users. International Journal of Epidemiology, 29, 315–22.
22.
Federal Office of Road Safety (1996) Older drivers: Calculating the risk of involvement in fatal crashes. Monograph 6. Canberra: Federal Office of Road Safety.
23.
FentonSKraftW (1998) Evaluation of work and productive activities: Components of a therapeutic driving evaluation. In: NeistadtMECrepeauEB, eds. Willard and Spackman's occupational therapy. 9th ed.Philadelphia: Lippincott, 213–15.
24.
FildesBPronkNLangfordJHullMAndersonRFrithB (1999) A national licence assessment programme for older drivers in Australasia. Insurance Commission of Western Australia Conference on Road Safety, ‘Green Light for the Future’ – Speakers’ Papers. Perth: Insurance Commission of Western Australia.
25.
FoleyDJMasakiKHRossGWWhiteLR (2000) Driving cessation in older men with incident dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 48, 928–30.
26.
FrickeJUnsworthC (2001) Time use and importance of instrumental activities of daily living. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 48, 118–31.
27.
GalloJJRebokGWLesikarSE (1999) The driving habits of adults aged 60 years and older. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 47, 335–41.
28.
GalskiTEhleHTWilliamsJB (1998) Estimates of driving abilities and skills in different conditions. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52, 268–75.
29.
GillespieNDMcMurdoM (1999) A survey of attitudes and knowledge of geriatricians to driving in elderly patients. Age and Ageing, 28, 53–57.
30.
GlasgowNBlakelyRM (2000) Older nonmetropolitan residents' evaluation of their transportation arrangements. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 19, 95–116.
31.
Hakamies-BlomqvistLWahlstromB (1998) Why do older drivers give up driving?Accident Analysis and Prevention, 30, 305–12.
32.
HuPSTrumbleDAFoleyDJEberhardJWWallaceRB (1998) Crash risks of older drivers: A panel data analysis. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 30, 569–81.
33.
JankeMKEberhardJW (1998) Assessing medically impaired older drivers in a licensing agency setting. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 30, 347–61.
34.
JetteAMBranchLG (1992) A ten-year follow-up of driving patterns among the community-dwelling elderly. Human Factors, 34, 25–31.
35.
JohnsonJE (1998) Older rural adults and the decision to stop driving: The influence of family and friends. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 15, 205–16.
36.
JohnsonJE (1999) Urban older adults and the forfeiture of a driver's licence. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 25, 12–18.
37.
KepflingerFS (1998) The elderly driver: Who should continue to drive?Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: State of the Art Reviews, 12, 147–54.
38.
KiernanBDCoxDJKoratcherBPKiernanBSGiulianoAJ (1999) Improving driving performance through self-monitoring with a driving diary. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 16, 55–64.
39.
KlavoraPYoungMHeselgraveRJ (2000) A review of a major driver rehabilitation centre: A ten-year client profile. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 128–34.
40.
ListerR (1999) Loss of ability to drive following a stroke: The early experiences of three elderly people on discharge from hospital. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 514–20.
41.
LloydSCormackCNBlaisKMesseriGMcCallumMASpicerKMorganS (2001) Driving and dementia: A review of the literature. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 149–55.
42.
LymanJMMcGwinGSimsRU (2001) Factors associated with driving difficulty and habits in older drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 33, 413–21.
43.
MarottoliRAde LeonCF MendesGlassTAWilliamsCSCooneyLMBerkmanLFTinettiME (1997) Driving cessation and increased depressive symptoms: Prospective evidence from the New Haven EPESE. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 45, 202–206.
44.
MarottoliRAde LeonCF MendesGlassTAWilliamsCSCooneyLMBerkmanLF (2000) Consequences of driving cessation: Decreased out of home activity levels. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 55, 334–40.
45.
McGwinGBrownDB (1999) Characteristics of traffic crashes among young, middle-aged and older drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 31, 181–98.
46.
McKnightAJMcKnightAS (1999) Multivariate analysis of age-related driver ability and performance deficits. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 31, 445–54.
47.
Messinger-RapportBRaderE (2000) High risk on the highway: How to identify and treat the impaired older driver. Geriatrics, 55, 32–45.
48.
MoriYMizohataM (1995) Characteristics of older road users and their effect on road safety. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 27, 391–404.
NelsonTMEvelynBTaylorR (1993) Experimental intercomparisons of younger and older driver perceptions. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 36, 239–53.
51.
O'NeillD (2000) Safe mobility for older people. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 10, 181–91.
52.
O'NeillDBruceIKirbyMLawlorB (2000) Older drivers, driving practices and health issues. Clinical Gerontologist, 22, 47–54.
53.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2001) Ageing and transport: Mobility needs and safety issues. Paris: OECD.
54.
OwsleyC (1997) Clinical and research issues on older drivers: Future directions. Alzheimer's Disease and Associated Disorders, 11, 3–7.
55.
OxleyJFildesB (2000) Retiring from driving. Canberra: Council on the Ageing (ACT).
56.
PachanaNLongN (2000) Another Y2K problem: New Zealand's ageing drivers. New Zealand Medical Journal, 113, 43–45.
57.
ParkerDMcDonaldLRabbittPSutcliffeP (2000) Elderly drivers and their accidents: The Aging Driver Questionnaire. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 32, 751–59.
58.
PerssonD (1993) The elderly driver: Deciding when to stop. The Gerontologist, 33, 88–91.
59.
PierceS (1998) On the road again? OT and the older driver. OT Practice, 3, 30–32.
60.
RetchinSMAnapolleJ (1993) An overview of the older driver. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 9, 279–96.
61.
SkinnerREJr (2000) Transportation in the 21st century. Public Roads, Sep/Oct, 42–49.
62.
StresselDL (2000) Driving issues of the older adult. OT Practice, 5, 1–8.
63.
StuttsJC (1998) Do older drivers with visual and cognitive impairments drive less?Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 48, 854–61.
64.
TaylorBDTripodesS (2001) The effects of driving cessation on the elderly with dementia and their caregivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 33, 519–28.
65.
WallerPF (1991) The older driver. Human Factors, 33, 499–505.
66.
WegmanF (1996) Road accidents: Worldwide, a problem that can be tackled successfully!Paris: PIARC Committee on Road Safety.
67.
WhiteSO'NeillD (2000) Health and relicensing policies for older drivers in the European Union. Gerontology, 46, 146–52.
68.
WisemanEJSouderE (1996) The older driver: A handy tool to assess competence behind the wheel. Geriatrics, 51, 36–45.
69.
YassudaMSWilsonJJvon MeringO (1997) Driving cessation: The perspective of senior drivers. Educational Gerontology, 23, 525–38.
70.
YoungCD (2001) Health, safety and the older driver. Patient Care, 15 January, 22–34.
