title: Cognitive, sensory and physical factors enabling driving safety in older adults.
abstract: We reviewed literature on cognitive, sensory, motor and physical factors associated with safe driving and crash risk in older adults with the goal of developing a model of factors enabling safe driving behaviour. Thirteen empirical studies reporting associations between cognitive, sensory, motor and physical factors and either self-reported crashes, state crash records or on-road driving measures were identified. Measures of attention, reaction time, memory, executive function, mental status, visual function, and physical function variables were associated with driving outcome measures. Self-monitoring was also identified as a factor that may moderate observed effects by influencing driving behavior. We propose that three enabling factors (cognition, sensory function and physical function/medical conditions) predict driving ability, but that accurate self-monitoring of these enabling factors is required for safe driving behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Kaarin.Anstey@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: Janine G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*