title: Gender differences among older drivers in a comprehensive driving evaluation.
abstract: Research studies typically consider older drivers as a homogenous group and do not report on the influence of gender on driving performance. Prior studies report that females are over-represented in crashes compared to males, caused by errors of yielding, gap acceptance, and speed regulation, all of which are assessed in a comprehensive driving evaluation (CDE). In a sample of 294 community dwelling older drivers, we examined and compared specific and total driving errors of both genders, and determined predictors of gender-specific driving errors and pass/fail outcomes who completed a CDE assessed by a certified driving rehabilitation specialist. No differences in specific or total number of driving errors on the CDE were found between older males (Mean age 73.4±6.0) and older females (Mean age 73.8±5.7). Education, days of driving, Useful Field of View™ (UFOV), Rapid Paced Walk Test (RPW) and the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) were all independent predictors of failing a road test for both genders (p<0.05). However, older females were 22% less likely than older males to fail an on-road test. Within group comparisons showed that older males and females >75 years were 3.2 and 3.5 times more likely to fail the on-road test compared to younger males and females (aged between 63 and 75), respectively. Our findings suggest that focusing on older old (75+) and old-old (85+) age groups may be more efficient for future investigations of driving performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy and Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: sclassen@phhp.ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Sherrilene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Classen
authors.forename: Yanning
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Crizzle
authors.forename: Sandra M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Desiree N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Lanford
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003071:Cognition; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012737:Sex Factors; D014796:Visual Perception
keywords: Comprehensive driving evaluation; Driving errors; Gender differences; Older drivers