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Research Notes- 2003
Serving Our Seniors
By Shara Lynn Kelsey
Did you know that there are over 1.7 million licensed drivers in California who are aged 70 and older? Americans as a whole are healthier now, and living longer more active lives well into their 80s, 90s, and beyond. Because of their extensive experience and self-monitoring, older drivers pose the least risk to others on the road; their accident rate per driver does not begin to equal what might be expected for the size of their population until after the age of 85. However, their accident rate per mile, and relative risk to themselves on the road, is another story. Surface streets, with cross traffic and many stop-and-go situations, parked cars blocking sight lines, and sometimes darting kids and dogs, are the most likely venue for accidents. Partly because older drivers spend more time on surface streets (as opposed to freeways, with controlled access and relatively even speed), their per-mile accident rate by age increasingly approaches (but never meets) that of teenagers.
Although aging inevitably brings about decrements in vision, reaction time, and other physical and mental attributes needed for safe driving, elder drivers are some of the most prudent; they are more emotionally mature, don't drink alcohol as often, speed less, and have the experience to judge traffic situations and plan routes for safety. Many, if not most, older drivers self-restrict their driving; that is, they avoid driving in certain situations as they become aware of increasing difficulty in handling them. Not driving at night or on freeways are common concessions to age-related limitations elderly drivers make as they begin to recognize problems in their own driving or their reactions to other drivers.
"Old Age" is not what it used to be; a healthy body and an alert mind are possible well beyond the limits of what used to be considered "old." The attributes necessary to continue to drive safely-adequate vision, strength, and flexibility, as well as mental abilities of perception, cognition, and reaction speed can all be monitored with medical assistance and often honed with exercise. We want to make sure that our senior drivers know how to get any help they need.
Extensive research has been conducted on older drivers and factors that affect their ability to continue to drive safely. DMV Research and Development Branch (R&D) personnel participated in a Task Force on Older Adults and Traffic Safety, and also the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's Think Tank, leading to the National Symposium for research on Aging and Injury. The former produced a statewide strategic plan for input to all agencies that impact the elderly, and the latter is developing a national research agenda.
R&D has undertaken a pilot DMV project for an educational outreach to elder drivers. A randomly selected sample of valid licensees over 70 years of age and having records with some activity (accidents or citations), but not enough to come under the department's Negligent Operator Treatment System, was divided into three groups. One group will be sent a letter from Director Gourley; this will be the "contact only" group. Another group will receive a letter along with a directory of resources for senior issues; this listing of traffic safety-related organizations and their available products and services may eventually become a DMV Fast Facts publication. The third group will receive not only the letter and listing, but a selection of pamphlets developed by R&D and other organizations. These publications will cover such topics as safety tips for the older driver, defensive driving, vision, drugs [Rx, over-the-counter (OTC), supplements], and flexibility exercises. DMV R&D Branch is also spearheading a departmental effort to develop a DMV "Senior Web Site" to provide much of this information via the internet.
Drivers will be followed up to see if the materials make a difference to their subsequent driving record. Approximately twice the number of drivers in each treatment group will receive no contact at all, and will serve as controls. This outreach effort has nothing to do with licensing or post-licensing control; it is an attempt to communicate DMV's proactive concern for and support of California's elder drivers. No driving record will be affected in any way.
The drivers (all over the age of 70,
residing in California, and possessing a valid license)
were selected and assigned to their groups; the mailings
went out in late January (2003). The California Department
of Motor Vehicles is proud to license one of the largest
populations of elderly drivers in the United States,
and we are committed to keeping them driving for as
long as they wish to and safely can.