Age differences in cognitive and psychomotor abilities and simulated driving.
The current study investigated the relationship between drivers' abilities in various cognitive and psychomotor domains and their driving performance. The goal was to identify test measures that could be used to develop a fitness-for-driving test battery, particularly for older drivers. Licensed drivers over 40 years of age (M=65.56 years, SD=13.02) were recruited from university leisure courses (n=18) and drivers under 40 (M=22.20 years, SD=3.79) were recruited from undergraduate and graduate courses (n=44). Participants were given a battery of standard neuropsychological tests used to assess ability in the domains of cognitive processing speed, psychomotor functioning, visuospatial performance, sustained attention, and executive functioning. Participants' driving ability was assessed in a simulator with data collected in three categories of driving performance: (a) driver control maintenance behaviors, (b) accidents and violations, and (c) attention and reaction time. Younger participants outperformed older participants in 4 out of the 5 domains of neuropsychological testing (all but sustained attention). Age differences were found in simulator driving accidents and violations and driving performance was significantly correlated with neuropsychological test performance. The results are discussed in terms of the potential to use these tests to assess older drivers seeking license renewal or for selecting professional drivers for the transportation industry.
Shanmugaratnam
Sharmili
S
Department of Psychology, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA. Sharmilishan@hotmail.com
Kass
Steven J
SJ
Arruda
James E
JE
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001288:Attention; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008128:Logic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult