December 2015 Self-Regulation of Driving by Older Adults: A LongROAD Study

The LongROAD Study The 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 2015  Part 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-Regulation Sociodemographic 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-Regulation Health 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 years  Family 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-Regulation Enabling Factors Family and caregivers Others dependent on their driving Transportation support Regulatory self-efficacy

Factors Associated with Self-Regulation Barriers to self-regulation Lifestyle Lack of availability for others to provide transportation Unwillingness to ask others for rides