Between 2009 and 2018, the number of older adults (i.e., 65 years and above) in the United States increased by 32%, and this number will continue to grow in the coming decades as people live longer than ever before [1]. Approximately 20 older adults are killed and 700 injured daily in motor vehicle collisions, making up 19% of all traffic fatalities across the United States [2]. As driving is a complex task, it requires older adults to utilize a variety of skills, including physical, cognitive, and perceptual abilities. Due to age-related declines in physical health and cognitive ability, driving becomes more difficult for older adults [3]. Some age-related changes, such as reduced reaction time and visual acuity, are risk factors for the deterioration of driving performance and driving decline [4]. Driving performance and crash risk are also known to be affected by numerous medical and neurological conditions that are more prevalent in older age, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke [5,6]. With the number of older adult drivers increasing over the next few decades, the importance of aging and driving research will become more crucial, and a better understanding of driving behavior and risk in older adults is needed. This knowledge can assist geriatric clinicians in helping older adults, including those with neurological diseases, make driving cessation and mobility decisions, and can better inform clinical practice.
展开▼
