Technology for Adaptive Aging (2004) / Chapter Skim
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10 Personal Vehical Transportation
10 Personal Vehical Transportation
Pages 253-282
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From page 253... ...
However, an older person's driving at an advanced age may cause concern if the person has some limitations that affect driving safety. Numerous questions need to be answered regarding older drivers' continuing to drive.
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From page 254... ...
I review some of the reasons why older drivers might differ from other driver populations and focus on vision as one of the fields in which there is compelling evidence for age related decline in abilities that can affect driving. I then discuss whether older drivers constitute a safety risk (and for whom)
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From page 255... ...
Obviously, one variable on which older drivers differ from other drivers is their age. However, it is not at all clear at what age a person becomes an "older driver." Visual capabilities begin to decline in the 20th year, whereas other skills and abilities remain often practically unimpaired up to an advanced age.
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From page 256... ...
Changing Lifestyles The aging process is not only a physiological process in which biological systems undergo changes, but it is also a social process in which a person changes involvement in activities and obligations. One major change that affects the driving habits of many older drivers is the fact that older people cease to commute regularly after they retire from work.
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From page 257... ...
It is therefore reasonable to assume that changes in visual performance are likely to affect driving. The decrease in visual abilities begins after the age of 20 and continues throughout a person's life.
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258 al.
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From page 259... ...
259 al.
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From page 260... ...
Rather, many of these changes are connected and may affect driving performance in similar conditions. One condition in which many of the changes will lower the older driver's ability to obtain the necessary visual information for driving is at dusk and dawn and in darkness.
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From page 261... ...
The hearing loss itself does not necessarily have direct implications on driving performance. However, it needs to be considered when auditory stimuli are intended to guide the driver or to provide warning information.
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From page 262... ...
. One study that dealt with simple and choice response times as a function of age showed that simple response times were relatively little affected by age, whereas choice response times were much more severely affected (Fozard, Vercruyssen, Reynolds, Hancock, and Quilter, 1994)
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From page 263... ...
ARE OLDER DRIVERS A PROBLEM AND, IF SO, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? The age-related changes listed above seem to indicate that older drivers are likely to constitute a traffic safety problem.
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From page 264... ...
the crash involvement of middle aged drivers. These rates were still smaller than the rates for 16-19-year-old drivers, who had accident rates that were 4 times the rates for middle aged drivers.
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From page 265... ...
For example, computations of the number of crashes per 1 million miles driven for different age groups (as well as other measures of crash involvement) have to be based on the number of crashes in some database.
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From page 266... ...
There were small correlations between crash involvement in the past 5 years and avoidance of driving during rain, driving in rush hour, and left turns. Another adaptive response that is evident in various studies is that older drivers tend to drive more slowly than younger drivers (Boyle et al., 1998; Hakamies-Blomqvist, 1994; Planek, 1981)
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From page 267... ...
For example, in studies on visual field deficiencies one study found that 56.7 percent of the participants who had abnormal visual fields were unaware of the problem (Johnson and Keltner, 1983)
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From page 268... ...
In the future there may also be enhanced-vision systems that superimpose images or icons on a visual scene so that, for example, a car with which there could be a possible conflict receives some visual salient marking that makes it easier to detect and to follow. Other devices that provide critical information are various forms of alerts and warnings, such as collision warning systems.
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From page 269... ...
At one level, the increased fragility of older drivers and passengers requires the design of safety systems that are adjusted to their specific needs. Seat belts, precrash seat belt tightening and seat adjustment, and airbags should adapt automatically to the weight and height of the person occupying a seat.
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From page 270... ...
Auditory Design Auditory displays are an alternative to visual information displays. However, hearing difficulties are fairly common among older adults, and they need to be considered when auditory displays are designed.
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From page 271... ...
. For example, an adaptive cruise control system that adjusts the vehicle speed to the speed of another car in the same lane is actually a form of automation.
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From page 272... ...
Design of the Driving Environment In addition to design changes in the vehicle that can make driving easier and safer for older drivers, there are also various changes in the driving environment that can be made and that can be very beneficial for older drivers. The Federal Highway Administration has recently published a report pointing to ways in which roadways, intersections, signs, and markings can be designed to help older drivers (Staplin, Lococo, Byington, and Harkey, 2001)
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From page 273... ...
This notion is expressed in models, such as Wilde's (1988) risk homeostasis theory, according to which people maintain a fairly constant level of risk and expose themselves to greater danger when they are protected by some safety device.
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This turns the warning system from being a safety device into a device for primary vehicle control. As long as the warning serves only as a safety device, a malfunction in the warning usually has no severe consequences.
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Some of the necessary means may involve training older drivers to become aware of age related changes and to cope effectively with safety issues. We may also want to consider changes in the driving environment.
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From page 276... ...
It is unlikely that current sales personnel can be expected to do this job appropriately, unless they receive the tools and knowledge for this additional service. Thus the introduction of new in-vehicle technologies for older drivers requires us to expand the boundaries of our knowledge and our understanding in a wide variety of fields.
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From page 277... ...
. Information processing skills predictive of accident involvement for younger and older commerical drivers.
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From page 278... ...
Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 40, 1112-1116. Eberhard, J
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From page 279... ...
. Incidence of visual field loss in 20,000 eyes and its relationship to driving performance.
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From page 280... ...
. Contrast sensitivity throughout adulthood.
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From page 281... ...
. Aging, senile miosis and spatial contrast sensitivity at low luminance.
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