Visual and medical risk factors for motor vehicle collision involvement among older drivers.
OBJECTIVE
To identify visual and medical risk factors for motor vehicle collisions (MVCs).


METHODS
Data from four cohorts of older drivers from three states were pooled (n = 3158). Health information was collected at baseline, and MVC data were obtained prospectively. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs for associations between medical characteristics and MVCs.


RESULTS
A total of 363 MVCs were observed during the study period (1990-1997), of which 145 were at fault, and 62 were injurious. Falls and impaired useful field of view (UFOV) were positively associated with overall MVCs. At-fault MVCs were also positively associated with falls and UFOV impairment, and inversely with cancer. Injurious MVCs were positively associated with arthritis and neurological disease, and inversely with hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings show similarities and differences across the risk factors for all, at-fault and injurious MVCs, and point to the need for verification and possible interventions.
Cross
J M
JM
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 700 S. 18th Street, Suite 609, Birmingham, AL 35294-0009, USA. jmcross@uab.edu
McGwin
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Rubin
G S
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Ball
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West
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Roenker
D L
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Owsley
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D000058:Accidental Falls; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000407:Alabama; D001334:Automobile Driving; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D015354:Vision, Low / Q000523:psychology*; D014794:Visual Fields