Effects of Age on the Driving Habits of the Elderly. Evidence from the 1990National Personal Transportation Study

摘要

This report examines the effects of age on the driving habits of the elderly,using the 1990 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NTPS). Six aspects are considered: the amount of daily driving exposure, driving by time of day, driving speed, driving by type of roadways, vehicle size, and the number of passengers carried. Elderly drivers show an increased effort of self-protection in their driving habits relative to mid-age drivers. Being elderly not only makes elderly drivers reduce daily driving exposure, avoid driving at night, avoid driving during peak hours, and avoid driving on limited-access highways, but also make them drive at lower speeds, drive larger automobiles, and carry fewer passengers. If policies induce the elderly to further adjust their driving habits to offset the external risks of their driving, their risk of the crash and injury would be reduced and society as a whole would be better off, but with the consequence of reduced mobility.