Change in Driving Skills as a Function of Age

Abstract

Epidemiological and laboratory data show that the capacity to meet the demands of driving vary as a function of age. The exact degree to which capacity diminishes because of changes in sensory, cognitive, or motor skills, however, is not known and can be expected to vary from person-to-person. This study attempted to develop a predictive model of driving skills as a function of age. Postulating that driving can be functionally divided into several different subtasks, it determined whether a general slowing factor for age can be applied to all subtasks or whether different subtasks are differentially affected by aging. Based on the results, it also attempted to quantify the slowing factor(s), define the relationship between these slowing factors in the predictive model, and compare the predictive ability of the various models with actual crash statistics.