The combination of two training approaches to improve older adults' driving safety.
OBJECTIVE
An increasing number of older adults rely on the automobile for transportation. Educational approaches based on the specific needs of older drivers may help to optimize safe driving. We examined if the combination of an in-class education program with on-road education would lead to improvements in older drivers' knowledge of safe driving practices and on-road driving evaluations.


METHODS
We used a multisite, randomized controlled trial approach. Participants in the intervention group received the in-class and on-road education; those in the control group waited and were offered the education afterwards. We measured knowledge of safe driving practices before and after the in-class component of the program and on-road driving skills before and after the whole program.


RESULTS
Participants' knowledge improved from 61% of correct answers before the in-class education component to 81% after (p < .001). The on-road evaluation results suggested improvements on some aspects of safe driving (e.g., moving in roadway, p < .05) but not on others.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study demonstrate that education programs focused on the needs of older drivers may help improve their knowledge of safe driving practices and actual driving performance. Further research is required to determine if these changes will affect other variables such as driver confidence and crash rates.
Bédard
Michel
M
Public Health Program, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. michel.bedard@lakeheadu.ca
Porter
Michelle M
MM
Marshall
Shawn
S
Isherwood
Ivy
I
Riendeau
Julie
J
Weaver
Bruce
B
Tuokko
Holly
H
Molnar
Frank
F
Miller-Polgar
Jan
J
D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D011336:Probability; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis