The use of driver screening tools to predict self-reported crashes and incidents in older drivers

Tuki Attuquayefio; Md Hamidul Huque; Kim M Kiely; Ranmalee Eramudugolla; Alex A Black; Joanne M Wood; Kaarin J Anstey

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2023.107193

The use of driver screening tools to predict self-reported crashes and incidents in older drivers

Accid Anal Prev. 2023 Oct:191:107193. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107193. Epub 2023 Jun 30.

Authors

Tuki Attuquayefio¹, Md Hamidul Huque¹, Kim M Kiely², Ranmalee Eramudugolla¹, Alex A Black³, Joanne M Wood³, Kaarin J Anstey⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Australia; UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, Australia.
² School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Australia; UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, Australia; School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Australia.
³ Centre for Vision and Eye Research, School of Optometry & Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Australia; UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, Australia. Electronic address: k.anstey@unsw.edu.au.

PMID: 37393794
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107193

Abstract

There is a clear need to identify older drivers at increased crash risk, without additional burden on the individual or licensing system. Brief off-road screening tools have been used to identify unsafe drivers and drivers at risk of losing their license. The aim of the current study was to evaluate and compare driver screening tools in predicting prospective self-reported crashes and incidents over 24 months in drivers aged 60 years and older. 525 drivers aged 63-96 years participated in the prospective Driving Aging Safety and Health (DASH) study, completing an on-road driving assessment and seven off-road screening tools (Multi-D battery, Useful Field of View, 14-Item Road Law, Drive Safe, Drive Safe Intersection, Maze Test, Hazard Perception Test (HPT)), along with monthly self-report diaries on crashes and incidents over a 24-month period. Over the 24 months, 22% of older drivers reported at least one crash, while 42% reported at least one significant incident (e.g., near miss). As expected, passing the on-road driving assessment was associated with a 55% [IRR 0.45, 95% CI 0.29-0.71] reduction in self-reported crashes adjusting for exposure (crash rate), but was not associated with reduced rate of a significant incident. For the off-road screening tools, poorer performance on the Multi-D test battery was associated with a 22% [IRR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.37] increase in crash rate over 24 months. Meanwhile, all other off-road screening tools were not predictive of rates of crashes or incidents reported prospectively. The finding that only the Multi-D battery was predictive of increased crash rate, highlights the importance of accounting for age-related changes in vision, sensorimotor skills and cognition, as well as driving exposure, in older drivers when using off-road screening tools to assess future crash risk.

Keywords: Ageing; Crashes; Driver safety; Driver screening; Driving; Incidents; Multi-D; Older drivers; Screening tools.

MeSH terms

Accidents, Traffic / prevention & control
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Automobile Driving*
Humans
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Self Report